Fall And Rebuild
by Trenchcoat Angel Of the Lord
Summary: Castiel was a police sergeant at a maximum security prison who had been assigned the prisoner Dean Winchester to look after. He couldn't believe what the man was in for as he didn't look the part, but the more they talked, the more he understood. Major events unfold in their lives and life changes drastically for the officer and prisoner. (Cover Art by my writing partner!)
1. Chapter 1

Castiel was a police sergeant at a penitentiary for especially dangerous criminals. He enjoyed his job, but there were always wrong sides to it, as his safety. He was trained in self-defense and still had a taser and gun on him. A few new inmates were coming off the bus today.

Dean was a dangerous criminal, and today was the day he had to go to the penitentiary after being accused of murder the day before. He stepped off the bus, glaring at this handcuffs with his piercing green gaze as if it would burn them off. His dirty blonde hair brushed his forehead, and it gave him an itch, but Dean couldn't itch it. He looked up, scanning the building and the officers waiting. He wondered which one would guard his prison cell.

Cas raised an eyebrow watching the few new ones come off the bus. The one that was assigned to him was the one with glaring green eyes who looked like he wanted to burn a hole through his own soul. This should be fun. The bus drove off, and the officers followed the inmates inside to get checked in and identified.

Dean followed his fellow inmates and then heard a set of footsteps beside him. He looked to his right at an officer who had blue eyes like chips of ice and dark hair. He assumed this was his assigned officer, but he didn't care, because it wouldn't change a thing to him. Dean looked away, sighing.

The sergeant watched his assigned prisoner, nothing every detail. He wasn't happy to be here but looked like he didn't care in the first place. That was normal. He scanned through the file in his hand. His name was Dean Winchester, and he was here due to being accused of first-degree murder. Castiel had dealt with a whole bunch of murderers and psychopaths, some even trying to end his life, so this was nothing new to him at this point. He observed as all of the inmates got their ID's and photos taken.

He groaned inwardly as he saw that he had to get a picture taken. He hated pictures. Well, at least he didn't have to smile for this one. Dean stood in front of the camera, and his photo was taken. He knew he must look absolutely emotionless in the picture, which was how he felt on the inside. As Dean got his ID, the blonde looked around, taking the chance to see the place in better detail. Maybe this wouldn't be such a bad place to die if he were to die here. Hell was probably worse.

Castiel saw that the identification process was all done. Now he had to guide his assigned prisoner to his cell. He walked up and tapped him on the shoulder, making his presence known. Taking Dean by the arm, while he was still cuffed, he led him down the halls to where the cells were, "My name is Castiel, and I'm your assigned officer here at this prison. You are here for the crime you committed and will do your time accordingly. You will always be in my eyesight except for the showers. This prison is not a vacation, and I can assure you that it is worse than Hell once your life starts here…"

Dean walked next to the officer, not that he had a choice too. Castiel was his name. That was a nice name, but he only told himself that. He listened to the words of his assigned officer, keeping his mouth shut. When Castiel finished talking, Dean nodded, understanding what he was told.

He seemed calm for someone who knew his life was about to turn worse than Hell. It was his understanding that he held onto the most. He understood what he'd done wrong, the fact that Dean couldn't take it back, why he was here, and what was going to happen. Apologies weren't enough, he knew what he'd done had been terribly wrong to do. He understood, unlike more than ninety percent of the prisoners. It even showed in his eyes.

Once they reached his cell, which was one room with a bed, a toilet that was partially hidden for some privacy, and a tiny window up high, Castiel unlocked the door and guided him inside. The door was your old school jail bars, but the walls surrounding the door were solid. He uncuffed him quickly and stood back outside, closing and locking the door behind him, "You seem awfully calm for serving a life sentence here, Mister Winchester."

Once he was inside his cell, Dean took a look at his surroundings. He settled for sitting on the bed. The man nodded at Castiel's words, "When you understand all of it, it makes it seem less threatening. I picture this as a black void in which I have twenty-four-seven to think, and maybe even find the definition of the word 'life,' Dean replied.

He touched a finger to his wrist, but quickly drew it away when he felt pain and saw the red bands from the handcuffs on his wrists. He made a mental note to not touch his wrists when they were like this. He stared out at the window, determining that the time was about six-thirty in the evening.

Dean was different than the other prisoners he's watched over in the past. He was accepting of his fate and wasn't in denial about where he was or what he had done outside of prison walls. It was refreshing to not hear ranting and raving, but Castiel was taught in the police academy to be more cautious of the quiet ones as they always had more buried secrets. Even though he appreciated the different atmosphere with Dean, he would not hesitate to resort to restraint or weapons if he needed to.

"As they say, life is what you make of it here. You will be let out in the morning after breakfast for brief socialization with other inmates of your danger capacity, then you will have alone time before eating lunch. Another alone period will follow before dinner, and then you will be back here for the remainder of the day," he recited the schedule for him, "During all that time, I will always have my eye on you, except of course when you shower as I stated earlier. If I see you acting suspicious, I will not hesitate to intervene." He gazed at his green eyes.

Dean listened to Castiel's words, carefully memorizing them. When the officer was finished speaking, Dean nodded, "I understand." He spoke, tapping his foot on the floor twice. He felt like he could trust Castiel, and he was relaxed because of that. Dean told himself repeatedly that he would not do anything wrong, for the sake of his life. He might even make a few friends if that was possible. "Castiel, right? Can I call you Cas, or is that a no?" He asked, a polite tone in his voice.

When the sergeant heard Dean ask if he could use a nickname for him, he raised an eyebrow as no one had asked him before. He decided it wouldn't hurt when they were in private like this together, "Sure, but you may only use it when we are like this. When we are in the main room or with other guards, I would prefer you use my full name or my title. Ah, I almost forgot two things. One," he held up one finger, "There are inmates who are incredibly violent at any given moment here. Even though I make sure you don't get into trouble, it's my duty to also protect you as well when unnecessary hostility arises. If one decides to act up, I will escort you out until the situation is taken care of. You seem like the type that doesn't get violent unless extremely triggered. And two," he held up another finger, "I am in this building almost twenty-four hours a day. This is basically where I live since there are living quarters for the staff. So, I can assure you we will get to know each other very well."

Castiel stepped back from the door and proceeded to sit down in a somewhat comfortable chair by Dean's cell.

The prisoner nodded, shifting his sitting position on the bed to be a little more comfortable. "I was taught that I shouldn't waste time and energy on things that aren't worth it. So I'm not the violent type." He spoke quietly, tilting his head to the side slightly. "And I don't usually fight when necessary -"

He was cut off as one of the prisoners threw a barrage of curses at someone. Dean nearly jumped when he heard a crackling sound, and what sounded like a shriek of agony. When it was over, he looked at Castiel, his eyes wide, "W-what was t-that?" He asked the officer shakily, fear in his green eyes.

Cas was surprised at Dean's genuine reaction to what a normal outburst in prison was. Himself, however, had heard it so many times over his years being here, that he was not fazed by it anymore. Although his prisoner's reaction reminded him of himself when he first came here to serve as a guard.

He spoke softly, hoping to calm the scared Winchester, "That was the sound of a couple of fellow inmates simply disagreeing on something. Given the sound that was heard, I suspect there were some bones broken in the process. You see, unfortunately, there are a lot of people here who absolutely hate each other, but that's mostly the gang wars going on," he looked deep into Dean's eyes with his ice blue ones, "You can stay calmer knowing I won't let anyone touch you that way. I am allowed to touch other prisoners, but only if your life is in danger. You look like me when I first started here. I suggest you try to put on a brave face; otherwise, you'll have a target on you back."

Dean nodded, and a visible shudder passed through him. He took in a shaky breath, closing his eyes and opening them again. The officer's words were reassuring to him, and he was able to calm down. His body was still shaking visibly, and he was still half scared, but he was calming down little by little. "I was always a target for bullies in middle school and high school," Dean spoke, looking into Castiel's eyes, "The reason was because I was small and they said I was ugly, and I still am. They knew I wasn't one for violence, and that I never fought back. One day, they cornered me, and…" he trailed off, voice breaking, his gaze dropped to the floor.

He looked like he was incapable of finishing his sentence, but he pulled up the sleeve of his left arm, exposing a long scar running from his wrist to his shoulder. "Knife," he said simply, his voice shaky.

The sergeant noted that the incident Dean described to him while still being visibly shaken, was still traumatic for him to remember, even if it was years ago. He looked at the scar deducting that whoever did that to him had an agenda to seriously hurt or possibly kill him considering how deep the injury was.

Since he looked like a puppy right now, Cas wondered if he could be unaware of that if Dean had a split personality. That could be a reason why he has those charges against him. He knew some people weren't even aware that they lived with the condition.

It would seem they had something in common, "I too was a victim of bullying. I also came from a rough home life with a single father. I'm sure you can imagine how that was. The marks I received are long gone, but I still have one scar from when I was in another prison."

Castiel looked around with his eye making sure no one was watching. He carefully unbuttoned his shirt down enough just for Dean to notice a scar running from his collarbone across all of his abdomen, "He was a fellow who had serious mental issues and decided to try to end my life. Unfortunately, out of self-defense, I had to shoot him down, or else he would have very well succeeded…"

Dean's breath hitched in his throat as he saw Castiel's scar. He looked in his eyes, sympathy in them, "That's bad, Cas, I'm sorry you had to go through that." The prisoner spoke honestly, "But I'm glad that guy didn't end your life." He admitted.

Despite only knowing him for a little while, he already liked Castiel, and he was glad that he was his assigned officer. "So…" Dean now tried to engage in conversation so the two could learn a little more about each other, "You got any friends, a girlfriend, wife, anyone outside of here?" he asked, tilting his head to the side.

Cas was slightly amused that Dean was interested in learning more about him, as he had never had a criminal not wanting to curse him out or try and punch him in the face. As he was still overly cautious due to his job, he might as well entertain his questions since Dean would be here until he either died naturally, ended his own life, or get moved to death row.

"You might find this hard to believe, but I've never been with anyone in a romantic relationship. You could say I'm one of those people who is married to my job more than anything since I practically live here. I have a few brothers, but right now, we aren't on speaking terms due to fallout. As far as friends, I've had some in the past, but they drifted away as friends do sometimes."

Dean listened to Castiel's words carefully, but not too much. He was silent when the officer finished talking. Looking outside from the window, he saw it was already dark, and wondered what time it was. Actually, that didn't matter. His gaze went back to Castiel again, "Are we allowed to sleep now, or is it too early?" he asked. His green eyes, which had been bright a few seconds before, were now dulled with tiredness.

Castiel saw he was tired and nodded, "During your free time, you can sleep as much as you want. So yes, you can go to sleep now. If you wake up, do not be alarmed if you see me here, neither awake or dozed off. If I'm gone, it's because I either have to take a bathroom break or water break. I'm not a sleeper, and somehow I still manage my job at full capacity. I will wake you only if I need to."

He leaned back in the chair, his hand reflexively on his pistol, and stared up at the ceiling.

The man silently thanked the gods that he was tired enough to actually sleep and not lie awake until he did. Dean let out a corresponding sigh and lay down on his side, not bothering to pull the covers over himself. He closed his eyes and was asleep in a matter of minutes. His body relaxed, and he fell into a deep, dark void of comforting sleep. Although, before long, a nightmare would come to him like it had every night since that fateful day. His murdering of other human beings had been haunting him for a while now.

The sergeant stared at the ceiling as he heard Dean softly snoring. He had hoped he would never have to use his gun on him; he actually liked conversing with him. At least he was more interesting and polite than the others he's watched. His training and personal experience told him to keep his guard up and don't let one person fool you.

He sighed. His ears picked up the sound of Dean trembling in his sleep. Once he looked over, he assumed it was because of a nightmare. That's pretty common. He knew he couldn't wake him from it due to guidelines, so once again, he stared at the ceiling.

The nightmare he was suffering contained several different scenarios, including one based on the most recent events. It seemed he could not wake up from the ordeal, as if it kept him locked in chains. He didn't know how long he was stuck inside his own head, but it was certainly more than an hour.

In one of the scenarios, he was thrown into a void by Castiel himself, so he could die. Down at the bottom was water where he would drown. As he felt himself falling, he was finally able to rip himself from sleep. His eyes snapped open, and he bolted up, still sitting in the bed, breathing hard. He was surprised he hadn't screamed, but maybe that was for the better.

Castiel's ears heard Dean's body shoot up out of sleep abruptly. He looked at him through the bars, "Nightmares are common in this place. You will most likely need a week before fully adjusting to a sleep pattern for yourself. I won't question you what it was about since that would require you to relive everything again. I suppose all I can say is just try your best to rest, and I'll wake you up when it's time for breakfast. The food is not the best, of course, but is it better than I what I remember having to eat at school when I was a kid…" he reminisced of the horrible cardboard tasting food that was served in elementary school.

Dean looked behind him as Castiel started talking. He blinked at his words and nodded slightly, "School food was never fun to eat. My high school actually served decent food, though." Dean spoke, smiling just a little at the memory. He'd had friends then. Sighing softly, he lay back down, closed his eyes, and went back to sleep. This time, his sleep would be undisturbed and calm.


	2. Chapter 2

The blue-eyed sergeant closed his eyes for a bit, keeping his ears wide open for any trouble that would possibly arise. He remembered that one he completely dozed off and almost got hammered over the head with a pole one of the inmates found. Since then, he's never allowed himself to fall into a deep sleep, only more meditative. Despite not having a proper sleep in years, he is still refreshed when he wakes up from his meditation.

It seemed not much time had passed when Cas felt the sunshine through the windows hit his face. He opened his piercing eyes and knew he had to wake up Dean, "Dean? It is morning now."

Dean had slept soundly, much to his pleasure. When he heard his name called, he stirred. He sat up, rubbing his eyes. His hair was disheveled, and his clothes were slightly rumpled as he stood up and stretched. He looked at the beam of sunlight on the floor, then at the window. The prisoner reached up and tried to fix his hair, but it persisted against him. He gave a sigh of defiance against his stubborn hair, and arranged his shirt a bit, brushing off the front and the sleeves.

Castiel chuckled and unlocked the door, and had Dean step out so he could restrain his hands behind his back as standard protocol. Cas made sure to place Dean's hands clasped together, and he gripped his wrists with one of his hands in one of the many holds he learned at the academy, "I don't think you'll ever run away from me, but I have to strong-arm you a bit due to standard procedure when I guide you down the halls without your handcuffs. I'll guide you to the dining hall so you can eat breakfast. I'll be eating there too, just off to the side leaning against a wall."

He winced as he felt the grip on his wrists, which still had red marks from the handcuffs, but he fought the pain back. Dean nodded at Castiel's words, looking around warily. Others were coming out too, and some were just waking up. He met the eyes of one prisoner who glared at him, for no reason in particular.

He remembered Castiel's words of having a brave face and raised his chin up at the prisoner, showing he was not afraid of him. The other man looked away, and Dean gave a nod of satisfaction. He was not about to earn a reputation as the scared one.

The sergeant let a small upward curve of his lips appear on the corners of his mouth as he saw Dean change his demeanor in front of others. If he followed his advice from here on out, then he wouldn't be a massive target to the more ruthless criminals. Danger was still on the prowl, though.

As he guided Dean down into the dining hall, he tapped his shoulder, "This is where I head over to that wall there," he pointed to the right, "But I'll be here eating my breakfast, keeping my eyes and ears open. Breakfast will end in thirty minutes, and then I'll guide you back to your cell. You'll be there until lunch." Castiel released his wrists and quickly got his breakfast and leaned against the wall he pointed to earlier.

Dean gave a nod to Castiel and departed, stepping into the line to get his own food. When he'd gotten his tray, he sat down by himself at a table and began eating.

For a while, he was alone at that table, but he glanced up, seeing another inmate. The other asked if he could sit, and Dean gave him permission. They introduced themselves and engaged in conversation while still eating. The two men talked about random things, just like normal men would. Two more joined the two after that, and Dean had made three new friends it seemed.

Castiel was sipping some kind of protein shake and munching on a ham and cheese sandwich, making sure nothing funny was happening like all the other officers were. He sipped the last of his shake and noticed Dean had three people sitting with him now. The officers didn't personally exchange info about their assigned prisoners, so Cas didn't know exactly what they were in for. He only knew they were the same level threat as the prison labeled Dean, which was first-degree murder.

Dean and his three new friends found out that they all looked for the same thing; freedom that they'd never get. They also had a lot in common. Dean was telling a story on how his little brother had ambushed him in a snowball fight, "So I couldn't find him cause he was hiding. I walked into the woods a little, snowball in hand, right? Then I turned around, and bam! I got ambushed, snow in the face." Dean finished, and they all laughed.

One of them remarked how Dean could've been smarter. He shook his head at that, standing up to dispense the contents left on his tray and take care of it and the silverware. He sat back down, figuring that only twenty minutes had passed.

Castiel eyed the clock, noting that ten minutes were left for breakfast. Dean appeared to be having a civil conversation with the three inmates. It was not his business what they were chatting about as long as it was friendly. The mealtimes were used to refuel energy and socialize. The psychologists said that socializing with other reduced the insanity rates down a lot, even if it was just small talk.

He continued munching on his sandwich until it was gone. A female officer nodded at Cas, acknowledging his presence as a colleague, and he gave her a hand signal to let her know that everything was right on his end.

The rest of the time passed quickly. When Dean looked at the clock again, there was a minute left to go. He and the other three inmates shook hands and said goodbye. Dean stood up and watched others start to go towards the cells. When he caught the same man who'd glared at him when he was coming here staring at him from across the hall, Dean and the man had eye contact for a few seconds.

The air between them crackled with tension, and Dean stood his ground, rising to his full height to look as intimidating as possible and meeting the man's gaze with his own. He didn't look away until the other man did. He took a shaky deep breath. Listening to Castiel's advice was already serving him well in this environment.

Once the clock signaled breakfast was made, Cas noticed the exchange between the same inmate from earlier and Dean. He noted that the other guy didn't have any visible gang tattoos, so he was most likely squaring up the new meat.

He walked over to Dean and proceeded to restrain his wrists again, "I could feel the tension in the air just now, but you did well with what I told you. Most of these guys will pounce on anyone who looks like a trembling kitten," he started guiding him back to this cell for alone time, "You are allowed to have a book to read. We only have genres of fantasy, sci-fi, adventure, and the bible as options."

Dean proceeded to walk along the rows of cells, allowing himself a slight smile at the fact that Castiel had praised him. He once again looked at each cell, giving nods of greeting to prisoners who greeted him on the way, and small smiles to the three inmates he'd interacted with at breakfast, "I'm not afraid of anyone here, especially that guy. And I'm no kitten," Dean said, "As for my choice of book, fantasy would do fine for me."

His mother had liked fantasy books before she died. Dean felt a pang of grief at the thought of her, and his head suddenly hung low, pain clouding his eyes.

He saw Dean hang his head low after answering that he liked fantasy books. Something triggered a memory for him, but he wasn't going to press it. Cas guided Dean back into his cell and went down the hall to where they kept their stock of books at. His eyes scanned as to what Dean would take an interest in.

A story about a coming of age villager setting out on a quest outside of his small town sounded decent. The back of the book detailed the many events that he would experience. It was about two hundred pages long.

Dean flopped onto the bed and stayed still after Castiel left to get a book. After a few heartbeats, he sat up and waited, looking at the walls, the bars, the window, and the things that were outside of the bars that kept him inside. The prisoner suddenly got a song stuck in his head and proceeded to pretend to be playing the drums and guitar. This was entirely normal for him; this was what he did when he was bored or just wanted something to do.

Dean sang the lyrics aloud, but not too loud. The song was 'Enter Sandman' by a famous metal band called Metallica. He'd grown up listening to their music.

Once Cas was satisfied with the book he chose for Dean to start out with, he checked it out on a little list the room had. You had to put the title of the book and the prisoner's ID number, so the staff knew who owned it. He walked out of the room and down the hall back to Dean's cell. His eyebrows rose once he saw the sight of him playing air guitar and drums to a song in his head. He smiled and quietly sat down in the chair, enjoying the little show.

Dean didn't even notice that Castiel sat down, he continued doing his stuff, seeming to really enjoy it. He was smiling widely as he started to sing the chorus, "Exit light! Enter night! Take my hand, we're off to Never Never Land!" He sang, enraptured by the song, "Yeah-hah!"

He finished, finally noticing Castiel sitting there. Dean smiled at him, the song had gotten him a bit hyped up like all metal songs did. He chuckled softly, doing the finale of the drums and guitar, then letting his arms fall to his sides.

The dark-haired officer was impressed at the dedication he had for playing instruments with his imagination. He did a slow clap for Dean, chuckling a bit, "That was impressive. It appears I'll be coming to more of your shows, of course. Oh, here's the book I checked out for you. A fantasy book like you wanted." He got up and handed Dean the book through the bars.

Dean laughed softly and stood up to grab the book from Castiel. On accident, their fingertips touched, and Dean felt a jolt of electricity run through him. He blinked and took the book, contemplating the feeling. That had been quite odd, indeed.

He shrugged, figuring he'd dwell on it later, "Thank you for coming to my show and for the book. The next song will also be a Metallica song. I hope you know that band because if you don't, then I'm sorry, but I cannot be your friend." Dean jokes, amusement in his bright forest green eyes. The prisoner sat down on the bed, leaning back against the wall, opening the book and smiling eagerly as he began to read.

As Castiel handed the book off, he felt a little ping of shock go through his hand as their fingertips lightly touched. He was confused but wondered if it was possibly static electricity. He sat back down, "You may be surprised that I have heard of Metallica, and I enjoy them. I even recognized the song you were playing. I'll be coming to your future shows on a front seat pass, of course," he lightly joked back, happy that Dean was at least showing a smile.

Just as Cas was about to relax, his radio went off signaling they needed backup immediately. He quickly hopped up and looked at Dean, "I'll be back, but you'll be safe in there. My colleagues need backup assistance immediately…" He bolted down the hall with his hand on his gun.

Dean jumped up and ran to the bars, clenching his fists around two of them and looking down the way Cas had gone. Worry pierced him like a thorn, and so he decided not to go sit back down. Instead, he stood there and waited for him to return. Dean would not allow himself to relax or sit until he knew Castiel was safe. But suddenly, question knocked at the door of his mind. Why was he all of a sudden so worried about someone he was supposed to be acting hostile towards? He didn't know, but he didn't dwell on it as he stood there and waited.

Cas ran down the hallway with the familiar adrenaline pumping through his veins. His fellow officer on the radio stated a prisoner was attempting to assault her, and she requested backup, so she didn't have to resort to deadly self-defense. He knew that mindset all too well. When Cas reached the location, he got into position on instinct with his pistol but was thankful that two other male officers were closer, and they had the offender pinned to the ground as he ranted colorful language.

He asked his female colleague if she was alright, and she reassured him that she was. He nodded and walked back to Dean's cell, trying to calm the adrenaline. He noticed Dean was gripping the bars exceedingly tight, "You are awfully upset, Dean."

He breathed a sigh of relief as he noticed Castiel coming back down the hall towards his cell. Dean noticed what Cas said was right, and when he removed his hands from the bars, he winced as they hurt from gripping so hard. He flexed his fingers and looked at Castiel, "It was nothing. I was just a bit worried." He confessed quietly, his body relaxing once again now that he knew Cas was safe. The male continued flexing his fingers until the pain dissolved.

The sergeant's heartfelt warm knowing Dean was genuine when he quietly stated he was worried about him. As kind as it was, Dean would eventually realize that that incident won't be the last, and he may have to go off running again. However, he would take note to reassure him that he was perfectly okay...if nothing happened to him in the process, of course, then he would be honest about it.

"A female colleague of mine dialed in. She was in a similar situation I was when I got the scar I showed you. Her assignment had a terrible temper. Two other male officers were closer than I was and were able to pin him to the ground as he shouted profanities at the four of us. I suspect he will be held in total isolation and be reevaluated on his mental status. I would not be surprised if they send him to another wing."

Dean listened to Castiel's words, and interest sharpened his gaze, "Well, at least the four of you are alright," he said genuinely with a warm smile, "I'll have you know, I won't ever even think about doing that to you. One, you don't deserve it. Two, it'd be a waste of time and energy. Three, common sense says it's a bad idea. Four, you're a good guy. Five, you're too nice of a guy to deserve something like that. Six, I'll decimate anyone who tells me you're not a nice person." He wouldn't actually decimate anyone, but he'd be pretty mad if someone said Cas wasn't kind. In his opinion, Cas was one of the most helpful people he'd ever met.

Castiel tilted his head, "You really are a strange prisoner, Dean Winchester. In a good way, of course. After all my years of working in the prison system since I was fresh out of the academy, I have never met someone like you. You are not trying to spit on my face or choke me out for one. I feel like I can lower my guard to a certain degree around you, but don't take offense when I say I have to keep my guard up at all times. In the past, I've dealt with nice people, but they flip a switch when you least expect it...For some reason, I hope you never see that side of me when I have to either protect or defend. I've been told I can be ruthless, but you have to be with these types of people." He looked at his watch, "I should probably put on a clean uniform for today and put this one in the laundry room. I'll be back in ten minutes."

Castiel got up and quickly walked down the hallway to the living quarters. It was for all of the officers to use in this section of the building.

Dean stared after Castiel, then proceeded to sit down and open his book. He turned to the first page and started reading, pressing himself against the wall his bed was sitting against. Dean quickly became enraptured in the book, imagining himself as the boy and seeing the images in his mind's eye. He even played a song in his head as he read, and it calmed him down enough that he was relaxed and felt safe.

This was what happened when he read a good book; he was cast into the world described in the book. For him, it was an escape from the real world.

Cas went back to the living quarters where all of the officers did their necessary duties: Go to the bathroom, shower, brush teeth, change uniforms, do laundry, sleep, restock their ammo, charged their radios, etc. He went to his locker and pulled out a spare outfit he had, and quickly changed into it in a little alcove area.

Afterward, a male officer by the name John walked up to him, "Boss said that we can let them out into the yard for lunch since it's nice weather."

Cas nodded, "Do the snipers have their darts ready?"

He assured that they did a double check on everything, including the electric fence.

The sergeant walked back down to where Dean was, "Dean, it looks like we will be going outside for lunch."

Dean looked up at the sound of Castiel's voice, nodding in approval. He closed his book and stood up, "Outside?" He asked in curiosity, "They got something I can jump over out there?" Dean had a smile blooming upon his face, "I'm joking. I couldn't jump three feet even if I tried." He stated honestly, walking up to the bars. The prisoner let Cas take his wrists behind his back and begin guiding him down the hall. They passed an officer, which Dean made eye contact and gave a respectful nod to.

He chuckled guiding Dean to where the prison yard was, "As much as I appreciate the enthusiasm of you jumping at least three feet, you wouldn't be able to hop the fence if you tried. The fence is electric and lined with barbed wire at the top. We also have snipers in the towers overlooking the yard with tranquilizer darts...I actually was going to be one before I started on the front line, but I enjoy this job too. Well, here we are. Lunch will be waiting outside for you."

Castiel unlocked the door for Dean, and it opened to a yard, surrounded by a fence, with basketball courts, a little gym area, and free space with picnic tables.

Dean looked around. He'd expected a little less if he was honest. "Basketball courts?!" He said in enthusiasm, smiling.

Doing a little happy dance, Dean jogged away to get food and sit down at a table with his three friends he'd met earlier that day. They proceeded to have social interaction, and soon, the four of them had their eyes on the last basketball court that wasn't taken. A game sounded good, and it was an excellent opportunity for physical exercise.

Castiel watched as Dean beamed at the sight of the courts. They were provided to reduce stress and let off some steam for the prisoners. Even though the yard had its perks, it was also one of the top places that had fights occur more often than not. He figured it was because egos started to rise, and the prisoners get too riled up with each other.

As Dean ran off, Cas quickly grabbed his lunch and observed from a point where he could keep an eye on everyone, especially Dean.

After a while, Dean and his friends had finished their lunch, and they were on the court. Dean and his teammate had the ball first. There were some spectators gathered nearby to watch.

The game started, and Dean immediately found himself being guarded by someone taller than him. He sidestepped to the right, dribbling so he wasn't called out for traveling. Dean stuck his hand out instinctively to guard the ball and maneuvered himself to the hoop, taking up a triple threat stance. He faked a shot to distract his defender and slipped away to do a right-handed layup, which made it in. This earned some applause from their onlookers. Dean could have been a professional basketball player, with the way he'd moved, so swift and smooth, his body working and flowing with him.

Castiel was watching the basketball game as intensely as he could without being unaware of his surroundings. He was very impressed with Dean's reflexes and the way his body seemed to naturally move with the ball while dribbling. He wouldn't be surprised if he was ever on any sports teams in school.

Cas wasn't any on teams himself back in school; he only got into martial arts and self-defense because of his education at the police academy. His eyes scanned over to another court, where two males were starting to threaten each other by getting up close in their faces. His eyes moved back and forth between Dean and the tension between the other two.

Dean and everyone else looked over to the two males. Everyone's attention was turned to them now. On impulse to stop the fight, Dean took a few steps forward but stopped. Not a good idea, he risked getting in trouble. So he watched the situation like everyone else but saw that one of the guys was raising his fist.

Dean suddenly ran forward and caught the guy's wrist. "Woah, Woah. Stop, think about what you're doing." He said in a slightly commanding tone. "Walk away, go calm down. There's no point in fighting." Dean reasoned. After a few moments, both of the guys turned and walked away in opposite directions. Onlookers stared at Dean in shock. That had probably never happened before.

Castiel saw Dean take a step forward towards the potential fight. He instinctively stepped forward as well, getting ready to move at a moment's notice. When one of the guys raised their fist to the other, he saw Dean step in and take charge. His heart stopped. Once they walked away, Cas was curious as to why it was just so easy. The onlookers were utterly dumbfounded.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a reflection of light and quickly noticed one criminal started walking towards Dean's direction. The guy in question had a blade on him and was looking for revenge for his buddies.

Cas bolted at the man and pinned him to the ground on his stomach. The officer had his knee in his back, and his arms twisted, "Drop your blade...now."

Dean looked behind him at the sound of Castiel's voice. The first thing he saw was the knife, which made his heart stop. The criminal in question was glaring at Dean, and Dean looked at him back.

Dean didn't realize the guy had actually thrown the blade until he felt excruciating pain in his side and looked down to spot the knife sticking out from his body. It had been thrown like a dart with excellent precision. He gasped as the pain made him take a few steps back, his hand on the blade's handle, but unable to pull it out of his side. His vision was swaying drastically, and he closed his eyes, trying to block it out.

The sergeant's eyes widened at the sight. When had he thrown it? No...the guy had two on him and must have thrown it on reflex when he tackled him. Cas rushed over to Dean's side, holding him steadily and lowered him to the ground, "Hey Dean...look at me, okay? Focus on my voice. You will be fine, and do not pull the blade out."

Finally, two officers trained in trauma wound care walked over to Dean and Cas, "I'm going with you. He's my responsibility, and I failed in making sure nothing happened to him. Do not try and stop me," he somewhat glared at the other two. They nodded, and now the four of them were headed to the building used for medical treatment. Cas was still talking to Dean, making him stay awake.

Pain attacked Dean mercilessly whenever he took a step, but he focused on Castiel's voice and listened to him to keep himself from passing out. His eyes were glazed over, and he held onto Castiel's clothes to keep from falling, but miraculously, he didn't make any sounds despite how much it hurt. He just kept pushing on, telling himself that he would make it and that he was going to survive this. It gave him new strength to keep himself walking.

Cas had a horrible taste in his mouth from what just happened. He went through the events in his head to see if there was anything he could've done sooner. Once he guided Dean into the building, he laid him down on a cot as the two started prepping Dean to patch him up and take the knife out.

Cas swallowed, looking at the wound, "Dean...they are going to put you to sleep for the procedure, but I will be here the whole time and be here when you wake up, okay?" He squeezed Dean's hand tightly.


	3. Chapter 3

Dean looked into Castiel's eyes and held their gazes for several long moments, and finally nodded. The prisoner watched as one of the other men walked toward him with a needle ready in his hand. He barely felt the pain from the needle going into his arm. The image of the room and the men in it was the last thing he could grasp before he closed his eyes and fell asleep, feeling darkness drag him away from his pain. Dean looked peaceful in his sleep, and it would have been like he was usually sleeping if he didn't have a knife in his side.

Castiel was in the room during the procedure they did on Dean once he got sterilized. The blood getting everywhere didn't bother him. The knife sticking out didn't bother him either. What bothered him was that he couldn't prevent it from happening. The psychological aspect. He was Dean's advisor and protector in this prison when it came down to it. He was not angry at Dean for stopping the fight, that was just his personality. He was just upset at the situation.

Since the knife was thrown and impaled into him, that prisoner who threw the blade will be charged with assault with a deadly weapon and be removed from their wing.

Cas looked up at Dean and still held his hand.

The two men who had done the procedure left the room to move Castiel and Dean alone shortly after it was over. It had lasted about an hour, maybe a little more. Dean came to consciousness soon after the men left. He opened his eyes, blinking at the brightness of the lights as he came to. He detected another presence in the room and felt someone was holding his hand. Dean didn't have to look at him to have a notion of who it was. "Cas?"

Cas heard a voice next to him and shot his head up to look at Dean, "You're awake! Thank God... I've been here the whole time watching them work on you. I'm thankful we have such skilled surgeons; you're fortunate the knife didn't pierce any organs. You'll be sure for a few days and will have to come back to get your stitches removed..." he noticed he was still holding his hand and gently removed it, "Ah, I apologize. I forgot I was still holding your hand."

Dean nodded slightly, happy that Castiel had been at least a little worried about him, or it seemed like it. "Oh, you're fine." He replied at Castiel's apology. Dean turned his head to look at him, the final traces of tiredness going away from his eyes. It was instead replaced by pain. It hurt to even breathe, but he fought through it. Despite the grave situation, he cracked a weak but reassuring smile at Cas.

Rightfully so, Cas knew Dean's eyes were trying to mask pain. He had just had a dagger thrown into him after all. The sergeant stood up and went over to a table that had water and two small pills that were used for pain and inflammation. He placed the tablets in his fingers and held them up to Dean's mouth, "Here, they are for pain and inflammation. It will make this process a bit easier on you..." He sat back down, "I'm sorry...I wasn't aware that he tricked me by throwing the knife when I tackled him...I should've known better with my experience."

Dean swallowed the pills and water gratefully, knowing the pills would take their effect in about half an hour or less. His eyes widened at the sergeant's words, and he shook his head, tears springing to his eyes, burning like acid. "No..." Dean spoke, his voice sounding choked. "No, Cas. Don't apologize. It's not your fault. It's mine. I shouldn't have tried to stop the fight...I should've let you guys take care of it. If I hadn't stopped the fight, I wouldn't be here right now. You wouldn't be blaming yourself for something you didn't do. It was my fault that I got a knife in the side." He insisted. A tear went down his cheek. "I think it's about time something like this happened. I deserve it..."

When Dean started letting tears drip down his face freely and saying how it was his fault and that he even deserved it... Castiel's heart sank. No one deserves a knife flying into them, especially Dean.

The officer stood up and leaned over Dean a bit to wipe his tears with his thumbs, looking deeply in his eyes, "Dean...I don't want to hear you ever again say that you deserved what happened to you. No one deserves to be impaled, especially you. You stopped the fight successfully and everything would have been fine if that man had not had that blade on him. Not knowing about the blade was a protocol fault. I am filing a report that prisoners should be patted down before going outside. Your personality and your ability to adapt is what made those two stop fussing."

He reluctantly pulled Dean close to his chest, "I am not supposed to do this obviously...but you need a hug."

Dean was in shock for a moment before he hugged Castiel back, pulling him as close as he could for comfort. A sob escaped his lips when he heard Castiel said he didn't deserve it. "I do..." Dean whispered. "I-I murdered someone... I'm a murderer, Cas...I do deserve it..." It was evident that Dean could never forgive himself for what he'd done on that fateful night. He hadn't the notion of stopping himself from killing that man, and it snapped his heart in two whenever he thought about it.

This was clear.

Cas noticed Dean was clinging onto his shirt, "Dean, I don't know exactly what happened that night, but from all of the murderers I've seen, all the criminals I've been with, you are nothing like them. You have remorse for your actions. You may have certainly wanted to kill the person in cold blood ten times over in the situation you were in, but in your heart you show regret. None of these people here have that quality, but they may be good at faking it. In my line of work, you can tell when people are lying, I know you aren't with how you feel right now."

Cas lifted Dean's head up softly, "I have more blood on my hands than you do Dean. Shooting someone down, snapping someone's neck, or breaking bones lethally is nothing new to me. The difference is that i have a badge that protects me from being in jail. But I still show regret like you do, I just can't do it out on my job because I'll be vulnerable."

His throat tightened, and he felt embarrassed that he was acting like this in front of Castiel, but he couldn't help it. "Is it going to be like this forever, Cas?" Dean asked, his voice small and trembling. "Am I going to die here? If they take me to death row, what the hell are they going to do to me?" He looked into Castiel's eyes genuinely, noticing the officer's finger under his chin, more tears dripping down his face.

Realization dawned on him. "I don't even know myself anymore..."

Castiel knew the feeling of questioning who you are all too well. He started having those feelings after his first time having to shoot someone down, which was who he got the scar from, "It won't be like this forever unless you choose for it to be. Granted, it may take some adjustment, but not forever. And Dean, with what you have in your chart, you do not qualify for death row. The death row inmates have killed people over and over and have no intention of stopping, they are ruthless serial killers," Cas wiped more tears off his face, not caring about his shirt getting wet, "I know the feeling you're experiencing not knowing who you are. It was when I got my scar; my first kill under my belt. I went through a depression, but kept working and realized I needed to forgive myself. It's a process, it's not an overnight thing. I struggled, but I was able to pull myself out and make a new identity for myself in order to survive and live life. I am always here if you need support, but that is something you'll have to figure out for yourself, just as I had to."

He looked into Dean's eyes with a piercing blue gaze, "Listen to me when I say this, Dean Winchester. You will get through this and I will be there every step for support. That is my duty to you. I will be here until the end."

Knowing that he wasn't alone in this strange process of forgiving himself that twisted his emotions this way, and that gave him a new sense of mind. Dean nodded, closing his eyes and taking several deep breaths, counting to ten in his head. He opened his eyes again, looking into Castiel's deep blues, staring intensely into his eyes for a few moments longer than was socially acceptable. "Cas...I know this is probably the weirdest question you've ever gotten, especially from a prisoner, but can you just...stay here with me? I don't feel like I'll be able to be alone while I'm recovering." He spoke, voicing his thoughts in the last sentence.

He didn't exactly feel very safe when Cas wasn't around. Dean suddenly hoped that was a regular thing, but decided it must not be very typical. He then just gave up on trying to figure out if it was reasonable or not.

Cas smiled softly, seeing Dean was attempting to control his breathing at a standard rate. When Dean stared into his eyes, probably longer than he intended, he felt his pulse quicken but decided to ignore it.

He laughed softly at Dean's question, "Yes, Dean, that's what I'm here because I'm assigned to you. You won't be alone in this recovery process, I can assure you. Let's make an agreement that when you are recovering, don't try and break up more fights. The other officers will get a handle on it, and if anyone tries to punch you, I will personally stop it from happening."

Castiel realized just how different their relationship dynamic is compared to others he had in the past. The other inmates he's watched over were highly disrespectful and clearly didn't care what happened to them. Most of them ended up on death row or ended up ending their own life due to insanity. Dean had actual feelings, and Cas felt like he needed to protect that from the environment they were both in.

Dean nodded. "Okay. It's an agreement." He concluded. He sat in silence for a few moments, the hum of some machine the only thing that broke it.

Suddenly, what sounded very much like a gunshot sounded through the air not far away, and Dean, on reflex, grabbed Castiel's hand and held it tightly, but not too tightly. His eyes went wide, and he looked like he'd seen a ghost, and he trembled. Why did he have to be scared of that? Although, he'd not heard a gunshot in many long years.

The officer heard the gunshot just as soon as Dean did. He knew it was because someone was pushing their luck when it came to the life of a fellow officer. The only time they were allowed to use their guns for self-defense, as they had other means of attacking. Cas noticed how Dean reflexively grabbed onto his hand. He wondered if Dean had experienced any type of gun violence since he had such an adverse reaction. Although, prison wasn't exactly a vacation home.

Cas decided to just take a quick peek out the door to the room they were in and heard the commotion and then silence. Too much silence. He listened to a radio sound and some exchanging of words requesting inmate medical attention.

He came back in, "Someone just decided to pick a fight. I'm sure they'll roll in here soon. The gunfire was from another officer."

Dean took in a shaky breath and calmed himself down. He suddenly remembered something. "Hey, Cas, what's the date?" He asked. He knew it was a sudden question and it would probably confuse the officer, but he wanted to know, so he could keep track of the date like he always did. He could tell some kind of important day was near, he couldn't tell what or when it was because he didn't know the date yet.

Castiel was wondering why he asked and looked at his watch, "It is the 25th of June. Is something coming up that you need to be aware of?"

He also wouldn't blame Dean if he just needed a sense of time, and that time hadn't stopped altogether while being inside this prison.

When he heard what day it was, he remembered what it was that he was looking for. "I suppose not," he looked at Castiel. "but the 27th of June is my birthday," Dean revealed, shrugging. He chuckled softly, remembering something his father had said many years back about him getting too old.

A small smile appeared on the officers' lips, "Well then, happy early birthday. When you are in the system, you tend to take small things for granted, so having your birthday in two days is something to look forward to...I can't give you a cake or any gifts, of course, but I've got something in mind."

Dean raised an eyebrow at Cas. "Well, alright, then." He spoke. He tried to stretch his arms, which turned out to be a big mistake. Pain shot up his side. He showed no signs of it because it was dull, but just let his arms down a little.

The prisoner flicked his wrist a little as if playing basketball, and kept doing that until he had it right, then let his arms drop entirely.

"I would be more mindful of your muscles in that area, at least for a couple of days," he commented as he looked at his watch, "I'll leave the choice up to you: do you wish to stay here for the remainder of the day, or go back and you'll be allowed to eat dinner with your friends? I'll escort you there, of course."

He nodded and thought for a moment before deciding. "I'll go back. I should eat since it's crucial to healing." Dean agreed, getting off the bed and standing up, his hand instinctively going to his side where the injury was. There was a bandage there under his shirt, he could feel it. He walked to Castiel, putting a hand on his shoulder for support.

Cas nodded at his decision and steadied Dean against his weight for support as he carefully guided him down the hallway to the dining hall. He opened the doors and escorted Dean inside as eyes peered over at their entrance into the room.

Dean looked around, finding that there was some talk going on. The lively conversation going on between prisoners instantly hushed, and everyone turned their heads to look at Dean and Castiel. News had spread, and everyone knew about the scene that had sprung up. As a message that he was still going strong, Dean tilted his chin up to everyone, a look in his eyes that defied anyone who could say he was in pain or weakness.

The officer knew chit chat would happen because of the incident. It always did when a fight broke out. Chaos seemed to be gossip in the penitentiary, as it was something to keep their minds from getting stuck inside their own inner turmoil. Castiel shot the prisoners a look just as Dean moved his head to a more empowered position.

He guided Dean over to the table where his buddies were at and grabbed him a tray of food so he wouldn't risk tearing his stitches from moving too much. That was the last thing that needed to happen right now.

The prisoners looked away at Castiel's look, but whispers broke out, many shooting glances and look at Dean. Dean just ate his food quietly, occasionally answering questions from his friends, but nothing more. He was more uncomfortable than he'd been in a long time, and it showed in his facial expression as he ate.

Cas kept an eye and an ear out for the whispers, making note if anything hostile was said. He didn't hear anything along that nature. As he was eating his dinner, a male colleague came up to him, "Heard your assignment got a knife thrown at him. Is he patched up good enough now?"

"Yes, his wound is healing now and will be for a couple of days, at least...Actually, can you do me a favor? Tell our boss that I'm requesting all prisoners to be patted down before going out in the yard. We can't have any more of them sneak makeshift weapons outside."

The male nodded and stated he would do that for him by the end of the day, before walking back off towards his assigned prisoner.

Dean finished his dinner, and one of his friends took his tray for him. Twenty minutes passed, and Dean looked sick and in pain. The wound was infected; the knife had been dirty. He cast a look at Castiel, but he suddenly hoped the officer wouldn't see his pain or sick feeling in his eyes, because Dean was very good at hiding his true feelings.

When Castiel's eyes went back over to Dean, he saw that he was trying to hide how awful he was feeling. He set his food down and immediately went over to him. Cas lifted him up, supporting his body against his and took him out of the dining hall, "I am taking you back to the clinic. I understand you are trying to hide how awful you feel in front of everyone, but we need to get you medical attention again. You may do a good job of hiding it from all the others, but I read people too well to know you are in pain. I fear that the blade might have been dirty with who knows what."

He hobbled Dean along to the clinic and positioned him down on the stretcher. He needed to find a staff member to look at his wound.

Attempting to conceal how awful he felt hadn't worked apparently hadn't worked for Dean with Cas, who could read people well. He closed his eyes, wishing it was over and the wound was healed. Everything, it seemed, was a process. The prisoner clenched his teeth, forcing a groan of pain to the back of his throat. He wasn't about to show his pain, not now.

The officer came back in about ten minutes with one of the surgeons who worked on Dean. He watched as she examined his wound. There was always a risk of infection with stab wounds. The knife that the prisoner had on him could've touched anything.

It was a delicate process. Castiel sat down next to Dean and remembered when he was in the hospital recovering from his massive wound. It was the most unbearable amount of physical pain he's ever experienced. There were times where he had to choke back tears when they scrubbed it clean because he didn't want to be knocked out just for a simple procedure.

While the process was done, Dean kept his eyes closed and his hands at his sides. It felt like the pain ate at his side, it didn't just stay in one place. The occasional pop of the veins in his neck and the clenching of his fists was the only thing that showed he was in pain, because he was holding back yells, and it took all his strength.

Dean didn't cry, but it was still clear he was in the most physical pain he'd ever experienced. He'd said he didn't want to be knocked out because the man needed to feel the pain to know he was still alive.

The sergeant knew this was going to hurt like all Hell when she cleaned it without any type of anesthetic. The lady began unpacking Dean's wound and flushing everything out with saline solution. She took a rag and cleaned all the infected tissue so that healthier tissue could replace it. It was flushed out again and then stitched up with expert hands as quickly as she could.

Dean covered his mouth with a clenched fist to keep himself from yelling out. His arm muscles flexed as he clenched his fists harder, thankful he had practically no nails. Dean's body even shook with the pain, and he wanted to just pass out to make it go away. But he didn't, he stayed awake for the sake of trying to make himself endure it as much as he could. He'd suffered worse; he'd yelled and cried when his arm had been taken care of.

The female officer left after she finished and quietly apologized. Cas nodded her off and turned his attention back to Dean and put his hand out for him to squeeze as a release for the pain, "I'm sorry you had to go through that Dean. Just take deep breaths with me...in...out," he paced his own breathing for him to match, "Squeeze my hand as hard as you need to. I'd rather you do that than leave marks on your own skin. I promise you're strong enough to get through this."

The prisoner found Castiel's hand and held it with his own, squeezing it like Cas had told him to. He steadied his breathing with Cas' as well until he inhaled and exhaled evenly, and his breath was no longer shaky. "I-I'm so sorry, Cas..." Dean spoke, his voice pained but calm as ever. "I'm sorry this happened..."

Cas shook his head, "Dean, what did I tell you about apologizing? And no, don't belittle yourself either. What happened, happened. It was a fault of the protocol. I made sure one of my colleagues would file a complaint and request the prisoners to be patted down. In a way, this could help prevent more of these types of incidents outside. I will tell you this is not the first time someone has gotten stabbed outside," he shared, "there have been others, put it in different wings of the prison, so I was not there to witness it."

What Castiel said made sense, and the prisoner let his mind process it a little more. He felt his pain start to slip away, little by little. Not entirely, but mostly. Dean sighed softly, nodding in agreement. "I feel I should spend the night here," He confessed, opening his eyes. "unless, of course, I have to go back to my cell."

A small smile formed on his lips, "No. You are allowed to spend the night here. I agree it would be best for you also. We need to make sure all the infection was cleaned out good enough."

He stood up and went over to the other side of the room to grab another chair that was bigger for him to use, "There. Now I can relax better while we are here for the night...Do you need anything right now?"

He thought for a moment and shook his head. "No, except for a night of good sleep," Dean replied, a slight smile revealing itself for the first time in a couple of hours. After all, he'd gone through with this wound, he felt like he was dying of pain, but he knew one thing. That was this; that he would get through this, rebuild, and stand back on his feet again, as tough as he used to be.

Maybe even stronger.

The officer nodded in understanding, "A good night's sleep would do well for your recovery. I'm sure you won't have too much trouble. If you ask me, I kind of think these stretchers are more comfortable than your bed in your cell, haha," he chuckled softly as he got comfy in the bigger chair, "If anyone asks you about what happened, just know you don't have to answer. When prisoners get hurt, it spreads like wildfire around here no matter who it is."

Dean chuckled at Castiel's statement. "I just care that I get a bed. And I'll keep that in mind that I don't have to answer." He mumbled tiredly, adjusting himself.

He pulled over the sheets and lay his head on the pillow. Sighing softly, he closed his eyes and let the darkness take him like it had last night. This time, he would have peaceful dreams. Dean's soft snores the only noise disturbing the silence.

Castiel noticed Dean had fallen asleep peacefully. He decided he would go into his meditative sleep. Leaning back comfortably in the chair, he closed his eyes. The officer also kept his ears alert, and his hand reflexively on his pistol in case of emergency.

Dean's birthday was in two days, and he knew in the long run, it would make Dean happier if it was acknowledged and not just another ordinary day. He would be here his the remainder of his life after all. Castiel had just a little something he knew he would be able to do for him in his position. It was a minimal gesture, but again, in the long run, it would mean something more significant.


	4. Chapter 4

The only thing Dean had done since that day was rest, and the only 'productive' thing he'd done was walk. He was in his cell again, since he'd been deemed good enough to return to it. It was the morning of the 27th of June, Dean's birthday. The sun's rays hit the floor of the cell, announcing morning time. Dean was still asleep, in a delightful little dream of an alternate universe where he hadn't committed murder.

Once the sun's rays hit Castiel's face, he woke up. He checked his watch. Dean still had some sleeping time left, and he had already asked permission from his boss if he could do what he planned only because it was his birthday. His boss agreed since it did not violate any type of rules and would be low key.

Dean exhaled and turned on his side, instinctively his body wouldn't let him turn onto his injured side for obvious reasons. The wound was healing well, and he wanted to keep it that way. It hadn't given Dean much trouble in the past few days, and that was peachy for him. When he woke up, he'd think it was another typical day because he'd be half asleep, like anyone was in the morning.

Cas went down the hall and purchased himself a coffee before it was time to wake Dean up for breakfast, "Dean. It's time to wake up. For breakfast, we are doing something a bit different, but only for today."

Dean opened his eyes and sat up, blinking slowly and yawning before getting off the bed and stretching. He realized then what day it was and stopped, but then continued as if nothing had happened. His wound didn't bother him, which was a good sign.

Dean brushed his hair down with his hands as he did every day. He wanted to look decent, but that was normal for him and turned to Castiel. "Good morning, officer." He greeted, giving him a nod of respect.

He chuckled as Dean greeted him formally with his title and a nod. He turned Dean around as always to put his hands and arms behind his back before guiding him down the hall, but not the one to the dining hall, "I've noticed you always mess with your hair when you wake up. I tried doing that when I first came here, but now its always a little messy. I still shave my beard, of course, since that can get in the way of work."

He looked around as he saw that they weren't going in the right direction. Dean let it go because he trusted Castiel. He concealed his excitement, as the prisoner was a bit jumpy if he showed his enthusiasm, and that was just the way he was. "I do it to look at least a little decent. My hair is quite stubborn, but that's okay because I always know how to fix it. Although a beard, I might not like it very much. I never really liked the idea of hair being on my chin and jawline for some reason."

"We have razors and mirrors I can get you if you feel a need to shave every once in a while. I would recommend it because I have seen other prisoners pull on each other's facial hair during a fight. That's why I have to shave as well," he shared.

Castiel guided them down the hall to where the prison yard was and stopped once they reached the door, "The protocol is in place now. I apologize ahead of time if me repeatedly patting you down gets a bit weird, but just try and bear with me. I'll make it quick since I know you're not hiding anything."

Dean nodded. "I wouldn't doubt for a second that someone pulling on your facial hair would hurt, a lot. Especially during a fight." He concluded. "I understand that patting me down is required, so I won't be bothered with it. I'm not about to object to something that's required. It's not right."

Cas was thankful that Dean understands it's now required for him to be pat down, even if he knows Dean doesn't have anything on him. A lot of prisoners accuse officers of getting a little too touchy with them and try to complain to have their techniques reviewed. That has never happened to him, though. It occurs most often when a male officer is inspecting a female prisoner.

The sergeant placed his shoe between Dean's feet and spread them wide enough and placed Dean's hands against the wall in front of him. He started on his upper body, using the grab-squeeze-and pull method on his clothes. Once he reached the lower portion of his body, he used the back of his hands down his legs and front pockets. Finally, he checked his shoes and cleared everything.

Dean stayed still while Castiel patted him down, almost as if he was accepting a fate. When he was done, the prisoner had some tingling feeling throughout his body, and his neck hairs were raised up. He'd never felt anything as weird as that before, but he still accepted that it had to be done nonetheless and that he'd get used to it.

Castiel was at least happy in the fact that he didn't have to one hundred percent be on guard during the pat-down since Dean would never stab him.

He opened the door, and on the picnic table closest to the door was a more agreeable quality breakfast for Dean and himself. Something that you would find at a diner.

"On your birthday, I wanted you to have a better choice of breakfast to start the day with. My boss said it was acceptable since it wasn't a lot to ask for today."

Dean broke into a grin at the sight of a good quality breakfast, something he hadn't been expecting. "I-wow..." Dean seemed nearly speechless. It wasn't much, but you could see in his eyes that the simple gesture meant a lot to him. "I mean, thank you, Cas. This means a lot." Dean spoke, just settling with looking at him, not knowing if he could give Castiel a hug or not.

As Cas saw the reaction Dean had, he felt pleased with his actions, like he had done the right thing. He noticed he couldn't express the gratitude he was feeling and motioned uncertainty in his eyes if he could offer a hug. The sergeant didn't see why a quick hug would be an issue as they were in private right now.

"All right, you can give me a quick hug as a sign of thankfulness," he smiled.

He smiled and stepped forward, wrapping his arms around Castiel in a quick yet expressive hug. Dean pulled back with a smile at Castiel and walked over to the table, sitting down. "I think it's safe to say, I wasn't expecting something like this," Dean admitted, nodding his head slightly in approval.

The officer patted Dean on the back during the quick, but warm hug. He sat down across from him, "I wasn't expecting my boss to agree to it, haha. It's nice to have a good breakfast, that's a diner quality. I heard that he made arrangements with the one down the street and he picked it up himself to put out here...Honestly, I think why he agreed to it was that I've always been reliable with my past prisoners," he thought as he took a stack of pancakes.

Dean put some pancakes and bacon on his plate and took a fork from nearby. He started to eat slowly and carefully, unable to remember the last time he had a meal like this one. Dean swallowed a bite and decided to speak, looking up from his plate at Cas. "Well, there are people who turn out to be the opposite of what you expect from them. Sometimes they are not only looking for an escape from whatever they may be suffering but a friend, too. They're looking for someone to show their...remorse to."

Castiel liked Dean's choice of words as he ate some pancakes with butter and syrup. He identified with them and understood why Dean would think of it that way. A question popped into his head, "Are you relating your choice of words to yourself also, Dean?"

The prisoner looked at the officer, stopping his activity for a second. "I'm not exactly sure. But I believe I might be without directly knowing it." Dean ate another bite, his green eyes serious. "Besides, even if I was doing that, what I've gone through is probably nothing compared to some other people. Think about that for a few seconds."

Castiel did dwell on for a moment as he ate. There were a small handful of inmates who had told him of their home life growing up or childhood in general. Some things that he heard were unbelievable, but he knew that no one would lie about those types of topics. He did not know anything about Dean's past besides the day that he killed a man in cold blood, but that was his topic to bring up. He had no criminal charges before that in his record to go off of.

"I don't know anything about your past, but the obvious. I had heard some really awful stories when past prisoners started ranting to me. There were a couple that I didn't blame when they went criminally insane. Due to what they had gone through that led up to that point."

He studied Castiel for a moment as if trying to solve an equation. "Well..." Dean finally spoke after a few moments. He gathered himself. He was prepared to finally tell someone about his past and how it connected to the murder of his father. "You've heard everyone else's story. Why don't I share mine with you?" He offered.

Cas watched Dean's facial expression change as he was thinking hard about what he just said. His face relaxed slightly, and he offered to tell the story of his past to him. It was confidential whatever Dean told him.

"I'd be honored to hear what you're willing to share. Just for disclosure, nothing you say will ever leave this makeshift breakfast table," the officer smiled and took a bite of bacon.

Dean nodded at the reassurance that whatever he said would be held between them. "Let's start from the beginning. My mother and father, Mary and John, decided to have children. Yep, that's me and my little brother, Sam. I was good at school, good kid. Grades were always straight A's, got into basketball, and was hella good as you saw. But then, Dad decided to start drinking alcohol. Not good. He became an alcoholic, and things got bad. I mean, bad. My mom was abused, and me and Sam were abused as well. As a result, my only escape was at school and sports. But my grades dropped, and my report card labeled D's and F's. Well, I got a knife." He pulled up his right sleeve, exposing a multitude of scars that had once been infected, deep knife wounds. He let the sleeve down. "Then, one day, I came home from school to find my father out of the house. My mom was in the kitchen, sitting on the ground. Sammy was there, but he was crying. It had been for a while. When I got closer to my mother...there were many fresh bruises on her body, and knife wounds...you name it. And right on her forehead was a bullet hole. Sammy had witnessed our mother get who knows what and then get shot. And he was only like, nine."

He paused to let Castiel take all this in.

Castiel listened very carefully to Dean's story. It was up there on the list of stories he'd heard before. Most prisoners have gone through some type of abuse in their life. It was a wonder why he hadn't gone into the system himself.

"I will not say that I'm sorry that happened to you only because it's a little redundant, but I will say that I understand where you are coming from. Some of the actions you've shown here so far make more sense now. When you reflexively grabbed my hand at the hospital wing due to hearing a gunshot, I knew that somewhere in your mind that triggered something since your grip was so tight," Castiel drank a swig of orange juice, "You should have never gone through the things you did and neither your brother...Do you mind if I ask where your little brother is?"

Dean looked up, blinking rapidly, trying to hold back tears already. "He came back to the house one night. I was eighteen, Sammy was fourteen. We had lived on our own since that day when we found our mom like that. We both hated our father...didn't even consider him our father after that. But one night, he came back. He had a gun. I tried to protect my little brother, but...It was too late...I chased John out of the house, but not before getting a knife in the shoulder, and I still remember the last few words my brother said to me. He told me to stay strong, to find love, get married, all that. Then he was gone forever. I'd lost two of the closest people to me because of him. So I made it my goal that one day, I'd track him down. I would watch him die on my hands. I continued school, finished college. The day I was arrested was that day. I found out where he was, and I went to his house with a knife. We yelled at each other, and then I pinned him to the wall and slit his throat. I watched him die. Someone must have noticed suspicious activity and called the police. That's how I'm here. Because I got revenge. That kill wasn't in cold blood. I don't like violence or the sound of gunshots because they remind me of the life I lived when I was a child."

Cas now understood Dean better on a personal level because of him opening up about his past. His mother was murdered, his little brother was gone as well, and then he was left alone with revenge, slowly boiling inside him over the years. It made sense to Castiel at least why he chose to kill his father.

Sadly, the eyes of the law don't see revenge as an excusable action. That was why he was here. Justice still saw Dean as a ruthless murderer, even though he was really a man who had had enough and wanted some kind of peace for his family.

"I want you to know that I understand why you did what you did. Revenge is a sweet thing, feeling satisfaction because your abuser is getting what he deserves. The justice system may not see you as someone who won't kill again, but I can tell by the look in your eyes that you wouldn't dare slit someone's throat again."

Dean blinked, a small smile spreading across his face even though a few tears were rolling down his cheeks. "Thank you, Cas." He spoke, his voice breaking a little. "For listening for understanding, everything, thank you."

There was a moment of silence.

"After my brother died, I got enough money from a job and went to a tattooing place. I got a pair of black angel wings on my back, in memory of my mother and Sammy. They're still there now, of course."

The officer smiled, "You are welcome, Dean. I've always encouraged tattoos to be a sign of remembering lost loved ones and many other meanings, of course. I have always wanted to get one, but I've not found the time to do that. I'm sure it's a stunning tattoo. They'll always be with you. I imagine they're watching you right now."

He looked at his watch. They had five minutes of breakfast left, "We have five minutes out here left. I suggest eating as much of this as you can since you won't see this kind of food for another year haha."

"Good point," Dean replied, and began eating the last quarter of his food he had left. When he'd finished, they had about two minutes left to go. "Hey, Cas?" He finally spoke again. "Do you want to see it? The tattoo?" Dean asked, looking at him.

The officer's ears perked up when Dean asked if he wanted to see the tattoo he got, "I would love to if you wouldn't mind," he stood up and got behind Dean, so the prisoner didn't have to move.

Dean nodded, and when Castiel was standing behind him, he reached up and took off his shirt. On his back was a pair of black, perfectly detailed, stunning angel wings. They had obviously taken many hours to complete, and a lot of pain to go through. Below one of them was the date 11-2-'83, with the name Mary Winchester next to it, and below the other was the date 5-7-'94, with the name Sam Winchester next to it. Those were their death dates.

When Dean lifted his shirt up, Castiel couldn't believe the amount of work it took to craft the tattoo. Hours of Dean lying on his back while the artist had a needle on his skin. He knew parts of the back were more painful than others, and Dean endured it so he could have something to remind him that his two family members would always be with them. It was poetic.

His heartfelt warm, "That is very beautiful, Dean. I'm sure they would be happy you had that done to have a piece of them always with you. The artist took a lot of work to get so much detail into it, but they did a wonderful job. You might have to give me their name for the future," he joked.

He smiled at Castiel's words, and let his shirt back down, standing and turning to face him. "No, Cas. I know that they are happy about it. I know it with all my heart. Even though I'm a prisoner, I know they are proud of me for avenging them and forgiving myself and John, for feeling remorse." Dean spoke, his tone sure and steadfast. He lay a hand on Castiel's shoulder for a few seconds and then took it away.

He was proud of Dean for hearing him say those words because he was absolutely right. Dean's hand went on his shoulder for a few brief seconds, but he didn't mind. Castiel smiled and guided Dean back to the door since another staff member would take care of the dishes. He received his wrists and guided him down the hallway back to his cell.

When Dean was inside his cell, he looked over his shoulder to smile at Castiel, and then walked away to sit on his bed. He thought about what he'd just said, his whole past out in the open, but only to Cas. The prisoner felt a tremendous weight lifted from his shoulders as if he'd needed to tell someone for a long time now. He had, and he'd finally done it.

Dean looked up to the ceiling and lifted his hand, tapping his chest with his pointer finger, right over where his heart would be. His mother had done that to herself once when giving him the motivation to go to the basketball tournament. His team had won, he remembered.

The officer stretched his legs put before sitting back in the chair next to Dean's cell. He was happy that Dean trusted him enough to confide his past with confidence that he wouldn't tell a single soul.

He looked over at Dean, "How is your wound feeling? We might have to go back to the clinic after dinner to get your stitches finally taken out. It'll be less painful than when she was cleaning out your fresh wound."

During the morning, his wound had not bothered him, and he'd practically forgotten about it. "It feels fine. It hasn't bothered me this morning, so I take that as a good sign." Dean replied. "I think of pain as not only a bad thing but a good thing too. If I can feel pain, it means I'm still alive. I'd go through anything just to make sure someone I love or someone who loves me doesn't get hurt. Or, someone I loved, or someone who loved me, rather."

Castiel agreed, "Pain is a terribly good feeling. To the point of making some people pass out from it, but you're right, it is a sign that someone is alive and keeps fighting. As you know, I don't have a partner or family of my own, but I am incredibly protective of those whom I care for. That's what led me to this job, actually. I wanted to protect those around me and hopefully help prevent any disasters."

Dean nodded. "Those are good reasons to become a police officer. That was my dream job, and I had the same reasons as you that I wanted to do it. Of course, life had a different idea for me. Although living in prison doesn't seem that bad to me. But that's just my perspective. Someone else might think it's worse than Hell itself."

Cas eyed the clock as they had about twenty minutes until lunch for more socialization. It would be outside again as it was beautiful, "Even though you wanted to be a police officer, you could learn a lot of stuff...on the other side you know. I told you this place was worse than Hell when you first arrived because a lot of people judge too quickly, but you are level headed."

He nodded again. "Yeah. Most people who are abused are usually not the kindest or smartest. But some make it out alive, and they are stronger and smarter, and kinder too because they don't want others to suffer what they did." Dean explained, keeping his voice low even though he didn't think anyone would care if they overheard.

Cas was sitting in his chair next to Dean's cell as he always did during the night and day when it was isolation time for the prisoners. It was just part of the routine. His eyes were upon the ceiling as they usually were.

Dean was attempting to sleep, but with no luck. He'd slept during his free time the day before, and it had affected his sleep pattern for this night. The prisoner gave a groan of frustration and sat up. "Unfortunately, I can't sleep." He announced, standing and quietly putting a chair next to Castiel near the cell bars. "I hope you don't mind if I sit here."

The officer shook his head, "No, I don't mind. You know I don't really sleep myself. I call it more of a meditative sleep since I can still hear everything around me. Hmm, you probably shouldn't have slept so much yesterday, but if you were tired, I understand," he smiled, remembering how exhausted he was all day when he first started his career.

Dean looked at him. "Mind you, we had a basketball game the day before yesterday. We won, and I made the final shot that brought my team to win." He explained. There had been teams for basketball games set up with those prisoners who wanted to play. In the second match, Dean's side had taken the win.

He nodded his head to the side, agreeing with him, "That's very true. Honestly, I've never seen any of the prisoners get excited about playing a game of basketball. One that's actually friendly. You might have started a trend out in the prison yard with your team as the one to try and beat. I was never into sports before the police academy."

Dean smiled. "I may have." He concluded. There was a few minutes of silence, in which Dean somehow figured out the cell bars were spread wide enough that he could put his head through them. "Hey, Cas? Could you look at me for a second?"

The officer raised his eyebrows at Dean's question but complied anyway. He looked at Dean with his always intense but warm stare with his icy blue eyes, "Hm? Yes, Dean?"

Dean took a deep breath. He knew what he was doing and the possible consequences of it. "Just...shh..." he said quietly, slipping his hands through the bars to gently cup Castiel's face and bring it towards him. Dean leaned forward and closed the last few inches between them, placing his lips on Castiel's, kissing him.

Castiel's sort of blanked out when he felt Dean's hands carefully cup his face and pulled him closer as their lips made contact into a blissful kiss.

Even though he had personally never been with anyone, he knew how to kiss. But he was just in shock at what had happened, that his brain was put on pause. He wasn't pulling away from it though, he accepted it from Dean. He realized his eyes were still open, so he closed them softly as their lips remained on each other.

After a few moments, Dean gently broke the kiss, his eyes fluttering open. He looked into Castiel's eyes, his own forest greens showing everything he felt, words that could be spoken aloud but instead chosen to show in his eyes. He didn't take his hands from Castiel's face.

He opened his eyes after the kiss was broken and felt his cheeks go slightly warm beneath Dean's hands. He gazed into his green eyes and laughed nervously, "I um...honestly, I'm speechless...but not in a bad way... you're my first actual kiss after all..."

Dean smiled, nodding slightly. "I wasn't expecting a positive reaction." He admitted quietly. "I suppose I get the honor of being your first kiss, though." The prisoner jokes. He was happy and relieved that Castiel hadn't pushed him away like he was sure many would have. It was like a 50/50 chance kind of a thing.

It was perfectly logical as to why Dean thought he would pull away. Getting a surprise kiss isn't exactly on everyone's agenda. "Haha, I suppose you do...Congratulations. My mind is a bit frozen at the moment, trying to process what just happened, and I find myself blushing," he touched his own cheeks to feel they were slightly warm.

Dean nodded. "I didn't think I'd ever be able to love again after I'd lost my mother and brother. But here I am, with you, whom I've apparently fallen in love with." Dean concluded, a small smile spreading across his face for a second and then disappearing. He realized that his hands were still on Castiel's face, and he took them away gently. "Sorry, didn't realize my hands were still there..."

Cas chuckled softly, "It's fine. You have nice hands. I am educated on the subject, but tell me what falling in love feels like for you? Maybe then I could understand my own feelings into words for you since I can't describe it right now."

Dean looked at the wall for a few moments. "Well, whenever I see you, I always smile, and I feel like I'm flying. I feel like I can trust you, and I feel...safe around you. I'm very open to you. That's what falling in love feels like for me." He concluded, then looked back at Castiel.

Castiel smiled softly, feeling happy that Dean felt that about him, "That makes me feel warm inside. I guess I'll describe this way for my feelings towards you: I feel like I can talk with you about anything, I feel the need to protect you from any kind of harm, I feel lighter in my steps when I walk with you, and you always have a way with words that makes my heart feel toasty."

Dean took that in, letting his mind process it. "In other words, we're in love with each other." He confirmed, a smile blooming on his face. His gaze flicked down to Castiel's hand, which was resting on his lap. He reached out and placed his own hand over Castiel's, smiling the warmest smile he'd ever given someone is probably his entire life.

The officer had never per se, been in love with someone, until now. He felt Dean hold his hand, and he smiled softly. He rested his head against the bars, on his side, "So that's what love truly feels like. It's a very nice feeling, I like it. It feels right being in love with you."

Dean smiled again. "Yes, it is a nice feeling. It feels right being in love with you too. Even though we're in the circumstances like this, we can still be together." He brushed his thumb over Castiel's hand lightly. It was a gesture of affection, or in his book, it was.

Cas nodded and laughed softly, "It's not common for people to fall in love in prison, haha. Or if they do, it's for completely wrong reasons, but I know this isn't like that," he reassured as he looked down at Dean's thumb, "I never realized how soft your hands are against mine."

Dean looked down at their hands. "I never realized how soft my hands were nonetheless. I never really pay attention to that. Although I take a shower every night so that could be it. Who knows?" He shrugged lightly. He yawned, shifting slightly in the chair. "Wow, I start talking to you, and then I'm finally tired. Man, I can never understand myself sometimes."

"I suppose my voice is lulling you to sleep then," he lightly joked as he checked his watch, "You have about six hours before I would have to wake you for breakfast. I suggest trying to get as much rest as you can. I'll be here the whole time unless I go to the bathroom or grab water."

Dean chuckled and stood up, gently removing his hand from Castiel's. Before he moved off to bed, he slipped his head through the bars and kissed Castiel's forehead. "Goodnight, my angel." He spoke softly before walking over to the bed and lying down, pulling the covers over himself and closing his eyes.

The officer watched Dean get up and give him a quick kiss on the forehead. He blushed slightly after he gave him a nickname. He doesn't ever remember having one until Dean started calling him 'Cas.' He smiled and got comfortable in his chair, closing his blue eyes.

Dean fell into a tranquil sleep and had peaceful dreams. He'd gotten over the nightmares weeks ago, shortly after his knife wound had healed. The six hours would pass fast and feel like only minutes, as it would always to him.

Castiel's mind wandered as usual in his meditative rest, but his ears picked up voices of other officers down the hall, some inmates getting restless, and colorful language thrown into the mix. It was nothing dire though; just standard stuff in a prison environment.

Dean slept soundly. Five and a half hours later, he woke up. He sat up in his bed, rubbing his eyes. The prisoner looked around before his gaze settled on Castiel, and a smile bloomed over his features. Just the sight of him made Dean happy.


	5. Chapter 5

Castiel felt the sun rays land on his body, and he rubbed his eyes as he woke up. He checked his watch and looked at Dean, "Good morning Dean. You look like you slept well."

Dean nodded. "I did, I slept very well." He replied, his voice calm. "If I hadn't slept, I wouldn't be prepared for match number three today. My team's playing against the second-best today." He announced, hopping off the bed, determination flashing in his green gaze.

He got up from his chair and unlocked Dean's door to guide him down the hallway, "Well, I wouldn't miss that game. That'll be the talk around the prison yard for a while, I imagine. Two best teams squaring off in a basketball match is a sight to see. It's almost like the NBA at a penitentiary." He chuckled.

Dean smiled. "It'll be a good game to see. I'm so excited I could literally jump and touch the ceiling if I wanted to. Reminds me of the tournament I was in, in my senior year, few years after Mother passed away. My team and the first best competed. Was the most heated game anyone had seen in a while. Unfortunately, we lost but, man, it was fun."

He couldn't help but smile at Dean's passion for the upcoming game, "I know you'll win. You're a great leader for them to play without there. They look up to you in that way, even if they have screws loose. Might wanna discuss tactics with your buddies. "He opened the door into the dining room for breakfast.

He nodded. "I will do that. Teams sit at the same tables, thankfully." He spoke, relieved that everything and been organized like that. Seeing the dining hall, he gave a nod to Castiel, and when the officer let go of him, he got a tray of food and sat down at his team's table.

Castiel grabbed his breakfast and stood by the other officers. He watched and observed the room as he always did. He noticed that ever since Dean has been here, most of the inmates are now in more chipper moods to go outside since he started the basketball trend. He looked over at his table and wondered if anyone had questioned about how his injury healed up.

After a while, Dean finished his breakfast and took care of his tray, and discussed tactics with his teammates for the last ten minutes. When that time was up, they rose and did a huddle, and everyone walked away to their assigned officers or to take care of their trays. Dean walked over to Castiel, smiling. "We are going to destroy that other team, I tell you." He declared, clapping his hands together.

He didn't know why, but he got an urge to ruffle his hair up playfully but did not do that because of the cameras. "Oh, I have no doubt you will," he chuckled, having a thought come to his mind, "Can only imagine the officers playing against each other..."

Dean raised his eyebrows. "Now, that would be a heated game." He concluded, smiling. "I'm ready for this thing, let's get out to the yard before I explode!" He joked, bouncing just a little, like a child about to go to a trampoline park.

Castiel laughed as he guided Dean to the prison yard doors. It was nice seeing Dean so excited and happy. He did the pat-down quickly so Dean could leap out the door to his basketball tournament.

When he got out to the yard, the teams were placed and ready, and he took his place as the starter for his team. Dean waited, and when the ball was thrown, he jumped and grabbed it, and when he was down, he passed it to another man, and the game began. There was now a determined look on his face.

The officer took his position standing against the brick wall and watched as Dean took charge of his team in the game to start it off. The way Dean's demeanor changed when he was focused on the game was natural. It looked like his mind was instantly in-game mode.

They played the first part of the game well, but the other team was beating them by fifteen points. Before long, it was halftime. Dean and the rest of his team sat down and drank water and rested. But Dean stared across at the other unit, and closed his eyes, looking down.

Castiel raised an eyebrow and wondered if he could get Dean's attention by waving his hand quickly. He was going to give him some encouragement by holding his thumbs up since he looked a bit defeated. He just needed some reassurance that their team could win.

Dean looked up again and, out of the corner of his eye, sensed rapid movement. He looked to his left and saw Castiel waving his hand quickly, and gave him a questioning look. Dean had his hands clasped together, and he looked at Castiel expectantly. He blinked, wondering what the officer could want.

Once Cas saw that he got Dean's attention, he held two thumbs up with a smile, hoping to offer some positivity and motivation. It was all he could do in his position after all since he couldn't move unless trouble was brewing.

Dean saw the thumbs up and the smile, and he nodded at the officer. His team was called to the courts, and he took a deep breath before walking out to the courts again. He waited, and the second half of the game began.

He hoped that that was enough for Dean to push through his set back and continue to have a good head in the game. It might've seemed a little silly, but he wanted to offer support in any way he could that wouldn't be drawing attention. Cas watched as the second half of the game commenced.

Twisting and turning, Dean seemed like he was a real NBA player, and he very well could have been. After a while, there were ten seconds in the game. Only one more shot was needed to get Dean's team the win. The only problem was, was that Dean was on the other side of the court. He couldn't run the whole court and get past the defenders in ten seconds. So Dean did the only thing he could. He jumped and shot, and his form was perfect.

It seemed like everyone was holding their breath as the ball sailed across the court, and the seconds on the clock ticked down on an officer's watch. Right before zero, the ball went in the hoop. There was a stunned silence for several minutes, during which Dean's team knew they'd won. But no one had ever made a full-court shot in the history of basketball. There was a sudden 'explosion' of cheering.

The inmates who were participating in the game, as well as the officers who were watching, all gave a round of applause and whistled. Castiel smiled and started clapping for Dean's winning shot. He indeed played like a basketball star. A full-court shot was unheard of, and he was shocked as well, but very proud that he won the game for his team. He would ask about his form later.

Dean held up his hands for silence and walked over to the leader of the other team. They shook hands. "Good game," Dean said, and everyone departed since the game was over. Dean walked over to Castiel, smiling.

He gave Dean a pat on the shoulder, "That was extraordinary Dean. I don't know of anyone who has ever made a full-court shot like that. You'll have to tell me how you managed to do it and take gold home for your team."

The prisoner looked at Castiel, a glint of triumph in his eyes. "Motivation and hope." He provided, taking a swig of water and throwing the bottle in the trash. Dean looked at Castiel again, this time with a bright smile. "It was you who made me win, Cas."

Cas smiled and laughed, guiding them back towards the prison doors, "Aha, that's very nice of you to say, Dean. I just wanted to give you a bit of encouragement since you looked distraught about the scores. Don't give me all the credit."

Dean chuckled softly. "Alright, Cas. Whatever you say." He replied. After a moment, he said, "You realize I just broke a world record, right? I'd be rich if I wasn't in prison. Hell, they're gonna send like, ten thousand dollars here and be like, 'Where's the guy?', you know?" He shook his head.

Cas opened the door for them, "Well you are the first person in this prison to break a world record, I suppose I'm not sure if they could actually send you money haha. I'm sure you'll have a few camera interviews asking you to demonstrate your skill again," he lightly jokes.

He stepped inside, sitting in his chair that bordered Castiel's. "I didn't exactly think when I shot. I jumped and pretty much hoped my form was good enough that it would go. Could you describe how it happened, Cas?" He asked, looking at him.

Castiel thought for a moment to collect his words. "The game was about to end with the opposing team winning with you on the other side of the court. You got the ball and sort of briefly closed your eyes. Then positioned the ball and your posture and took the riskiest shot in your life. When the ball was flying over the court, I saw you just staring hard at it, almost as if you wanted to control it with your mind. And it went into the hoop before the clock went off. I feel like I was watching it all happen in slow motion."

Dean nodded. "Alright. Thank you, Cas." His tone was appreciative. He slipped his hand through the bars and took Castiel's hand in his, a smile on his face as he looked at the officer. "Cas?"

He tilted his hand once he inquired about his name and held his hand. Cas felt he was earnest now, "Yes, Dean? You've got a serious look in your eye."

"I uh..." Dean faltered, then looked at the wall and back at him. "I wanted to thank you. You've done so much for me, and I thank you for that. You are the one who taught me that I could love again, even though you might not know it." He paused. "I love you, Cas. With all my heart, I love you, and I would give my life for yours." His voice shook, but his tone was deadly serious as he spoke.

Cas smiled and squeezed Dean's hand, "As much I appreciate and love your passion, I'm afraid I can't allow you to sacrifice yourself for me. That would end up leaving me alone and then what? But I understand what you're saying, I just had to put that out there," he laughed softly, "I love you too, Dean. This is a nice feeling, but I need to get used to my cheeks getting hot."

The prisoner chuckled softly. "That'll happen a lot. But of course, you get used to it." He confirmed. "And, I guess...I suppose we'll just have to die together, huh?" He nodded his head slightly as he spoke the words.

He smirked, "It looks like it. We aren't letting each other die when unnecessary," he rested his head against the bars, "I'll be here as long as you're here now in this prison. We might just pass away sitting like this once we turn into old men. I don't plan on retiring."

"I don't plan on dying anytime soon." Dean jokes, chuckling at himself. "We have a long time yet before we pass away. So we should spend it well, and use our time together well." He suggested. He shifted in his seat to rest against the cell bars.

Castiel nodded, "I can agree to that. The only way I would leave my position is if I was forcibly medically discharged, but I like to think I'm a healthy person. However, if that did happen, I would still be allowed to stop by and visit which I would do every chance I get. But don't worry, I won't let that happen...Oh, I've meant to ask. You almost finished your book. Do you want another one?"

Dean looked over to his bed, which had the book sitting on it. He'd enjoyed it, it had been a perfect choice. "Sure. I could do with another one." He answered, directing his gaze back at Castiel with a small smile.

He smiled, "Well, I'll go check out another fantasy book for you real quick." The officer headed down the hallway and into the small room with all the available books inside. His eyes scanned the stack of fantasy books and found one that sounded interesting. This one involved dragons and people who could command them at will to fight in war or explore the world. It was about three hundred pages. He checked it out for Dean and grabbed it in his hands.

Castiel walked back and handed the book through the bars to Dean, "Here you are. This one looked pretty good."

Dean glanced up when he heard Castiel's voice, seeing the book in his hand. He took it, reading the back and raising his eyebrows. "This one looks good. It seems like something Sammy would've read in middle school." He spoke softly, looking up at the officer. Speaking of his family no longer brought tears to his eyes like it used to.

"Maybe that's why I thought it looked good. It reminded me of your younger brother, and I thought you might like it as well," he smiled before sitting back down. "When I had time to read, I always enjoyed fantasy, horror, and mystery novels."

Dean raised one of his eyebrows a little more. A smirk formed on his face. "Have you ever read IT by Stephen King?" He asked, standing to put the book on his bed and then sit back down. The prisoner looked at Castiel expectantly for his answer. He'd read IT before, and it was definitely a spine chiller.

He grinned, remembering the book, "One of the best one thousand something page books I've read in my life actually haha. I enjoyed his work quite a bit. I'm assuming you enjoyed it also?" He looked over at Dean.

Dean nodded. "One of the best books I've ever read. I was up till three in the morning sometimes because I couldn't put it down. That one was a spine chiller. I admire Stephen's works quite a bit. I watched the movie and got haunted by Pennywise in my sleep for a week." He spoke, chuckling at the memories. He'd never really liked clowns, ever since his brother scared him with a clown mask once.

"Stephen definitely has a way with words. My favorite book by him was 'The Stand.' Took a while to finish, but he kept me interested the whole time. Sometimes I'd sneak a few pages in during my lunch breaks, haha. I don't particularly like clowns either. It's a widespread fear to have. I once had to arrest a murderer in a clown costume. I'm pretty sure the man was losing his mind by the way he spoke..." Cas reflected on the memory.

"'IT' is my second favorite book by Stephen. My favorite is definitely 'The Shining.' That one was one of those books that would keep you on the edge of your seat and the adrenaline rushing through your veins. He definitely is one of the best authors out there, if not the best. I'd be scared too of someone arrested me in a clown costume, man, I'd faint, most likely." Dean chuckled. He was more likely to faint than want to stay conscious at that point.

"Oh, I did enjoy that one too. I've always wanted to visit the haunted hotel since it's a real place. I try to keep up to date with his latest releases once I get a chance too. I haven't checked it in a while, though, since I've been busy." Cas laughed softly, "Well, I'm glad you didn't show up here wearing a clown costume."

"All of his books are amazing. Visiting the hotel had been a pursuit of mine before things got out of hand and I committed a crime. If I had shown up wearing a clown costume, I probably wouldn't be friends with anyone here, much less being with you." Dean spoke, poking Cas in the ribs with a finger affectionately.

The officer didn't know he was ticklish until Dean poked his ribs with one of his fingers. He jumped a bit due to finding that out just now, "Ha, guess I'm ticklish after all. Surprised me a little," he chuckled. "You'd be surprised what some inmates come in looking like if they aren't off the bus. Just imagine the stuff you see in the movies. That actually happens."

"Oh...goodness. Well, that's nice. If you and I weren't separated by bars, I'd probably tickle you until you begged for mercy." Dean jokes, his eyes glinting and a mischievous smirk on his face. He leaned back in his chair, keeping his expression because he couldn't help it. It was his nature.

Castiel smirked as his blue eyes stared into Dean's, "Hmm well, then it's good these bars are right here. I can promise you'll have a harder time with that than you think you will, Winchester."

Dean sat up, keeping his gaze locked on Castiel's. He gripped the bars with his fists, but not so hard that his knuckles were white. "Oh, really?" He challenged. "You really don't think I could do that, officer?" He asked, tapping his foot on the ground.

"I'm not saying it's impossible, it just won't be as easy as you think. I may not look it, but I've taken men down who are bigger than you. It's all about the technique more than anything," he smiled and challenged him back.

He thought about the situation for a moment and saw that it would end up ninety percent of the time with him losing. Dean nodded. "I suppose you win then." The prisoner said nonchalantly, letting go of the bars and leaning back in his chair. His challenging demeanor disappeared, and the smirk formed to a slight smile.

Castiel was pleased that he had won their little debate. Even if they were roughhousing, he would never do anything to hurt Dean. He would just put him into a restraint hold and keep him there until he got tired of it. "It seems I have won our first debate. I'd never do anything to hurt you, though. Maybe just hold you down."

Dean turned his gaze on him. "The only reason why I said you win is that we'd most likely never have any chance to actually test that." He reasoned. "I wouldn't ever hurt you either." He added reassuringly, cracking a slight smile at Castiel. "If you held me down, well, I have a tactic for that kind of thing. I won't tell you, though, because you'd know what to expect."

"Haha, that's fair enough," he chuckled, hearing that Dean had a tactic, "It's always smart to have a backup plan in case someone put you in that situation who wasn't me. That's what I was taught anyway in the police academy. I started there when I was eighteen."

"Eighteen? Wow, you've been here for quite a while, then." He spoke, blinking. "It makes sense to have a backup plan because you'll never know when you'll need it. That goes for any sports games too. When one plan fails, you always have a backup plan, even if it's your last resort, even if it has an eighty percent chance of failing." He spoke, referring slightly to what he'd done ten minutes prior.

"And you broke a world record too with your backup plan. That's something that never happens," Castiel smiled. "I enlisted in the police academy when I was eighteen. It was very grueling. Oh and we were required to get blasted with a taser as part of the graduation process. It was so we knew what the other people felt when we were going to have to do it to them. After I had my experience, I joked to my commander if we were going to get shot, too," he laughed, remembering that moment. "He only looked at me and asked if I wanted that, then he would do it himself. I immediately backed out. I've been in this prison for...eight years, I think? I was in a different one before transferring to here."

"Wow. That was a good joke though, not going to lie. But your commander was speaking legibly. It was good that you backed out, that could've ended badly." Dean countered. "My winning shot was a one in one million kind of a thing. I didn't expect it to make it, nor did I expect it to miss. It's balance and contrast. You just don't ever know."

"Yeah, my commander was very rough around the edges, but he just wanted us to be prepared for the reality of the job. I couldn't have asked for a better guy for the whole time I was there," Cas agreed. "It's good to take risks in sports, and yours just happened to be the winning shot for your little tournament. I would've still given you an 'A' for effort if you missed," he smiled and checked his watch, seeing that dinner was going to be happening in about ten minutes.

Dean chuckled softly. "A for effort, hm? In my book, a miss wouldn't have made even an F." He shrugged. "I'm pretty strict on myself. I shouldn't be, but I am. I'm also one of those people who doesn't really care what happens to themselves. For example, I'll stand in front of someone I hold dearly and take a bullet for them. I'll cease a fight with no regard for my own safety. Im-what's the word-I'm selfless. I have no regard for myself, only others who I don't want to see you get hurt or die in front of me. Not if I can help it."

"You sound like me, Dean. Heh, probably why we decided to come to an agreement, we aren't dying alone. You'd take a bullet for me, I'd take one for you. I can imagine us scrambling around each other when the offender is pointing a gun at us. I'm sure he would be confused and take the shot. While you're in here, though, it's my job to make sure you're out of harm's way," he winked at Dean. "Dinner time is here. Ready to go to eat?"

Dean chuckled again, standing. "Yeah. And that officer would be really confused. I imagine him just asking one of us to stand still so he can just shoot us both. If it had to be one of us, I'd rather it be me because one, they need you more than me. Two, I'm just a prisoner who's really good at basketball, also known as worthless as everyone else. Three, I'm a murderer. They don't want me alive. Four, They don't care if I'm alive or dead. I bet I wouldn't even get a funeral. After all, though, I don't deserve one since I'm a murderer." He explained.

Castiel clicked his tongue, hearing Dean degrade himself like that. He opened the cell door and got very close to Dean's face with a stern look in his eye, "Dean. While I am here guarding you in this prison, I will not tolerate you degrading your character in front of me. If you do that again, I might have to be a bit more forceful in restraining your wrists to get my point across. Understand?" He curled his lips upwards slightly to let him know he wasn't mad at him.

His heart was pounding so loud Dean hoped Castiel couldn't hear it. His cheeks felt hot and he was speechless for a few seconds before replying. "I-er-yes, Castiel. I-I won't do it again." He stuttered, feeling nervous. He'd rarely been shy in his life, but this was one of those times where he was. It was only because Cas was so close.

Cas patted him on the shoulder, "Good. I'm happy you understand. I find it amusing that I just made you trip over your own words. I wasn't aware that I could make you do that," he smiled and turned him around to do the standard procedure for restraining him.

Dean tried to regain his composure, the heat in his cheeks going away slightly but not ultimately. "I-I wasn't aware of that either. Although you do come off as intimidating t-to me, I must s-say." He said, trying to ignore the fact that he was still tripping over his words.

"Haha well, I was half-serious, half-joking, but I needed to make sure you understood my feelings about it. I suppose it's good I can still be intimidating. You have to with most of the people in here anyway," he noticed Dean was still a little shocked. He took his hands and gently massaged his cheeks to relax them, "No need to feel nervous around me. Did I make you blush? Your cheeks are warm."

He felt his cheeks get even warmer under Castiel's hands. "Y-yes you d-did make me blush." He stuttered out. Dean did his best to press back his internal screams because Cas was touching his face. "I mean, your face was so close to mine...and yeah..."

Cas smiled and removed his hands, "Well, I'll let you regain your composure from my actions towards you. We wouldn't want anyone in here thinking we are up to something." He started guiding Dean down the hallway.

The prisoner nodded, swallowing hard and walking down the hallway towards the dining hall. The heat on his cheeks started to fade away, but not wholly, as he took step after step. Dean was silent, but he was alright. He rubbed his own hand with his thumb, a habit of his.

The officer opened the doors for breakfast and let Dean go as he always did in the dining hall. Cas himself grabbed a shake and a breakfast burrito to munch on. As he walked to where he usually does, his eyes saw that the man who has frequent stare downs with Dean was watching him again.

Dean was about to step forward, but felt a prickling along his spine and felt eyes on him. He decided to ignore it this time. Nothing wrong could happen, right? At least, Dean thought nothing crazy could happen if he ignored it. He started to walk over to the line but turned when he heard footsteps. It was that guy again. "Alright, who are you, and what do you want with me?" Dean asked.

The man looked genuinely shocked. "Why, Dean. I thought you'd know who I am. I'm your father's brother, and I think I'm going to finish what he started."

Dean's eyes widened, terror making its appearance as Dean stepped back. The man somehow had a knife. A flash of silver, and Dean, for a second, didn't feel it. But then he felt the pain, starting above his left eye and going down his face, neck, and chest, and stopping near his right hip. It was one line from the knife. Dean barely saw the officers pulling the man back, and his vision swayed drastically.

Castiel's veins bubbled with anger and bolted towards Dean, holding him close. He glared at the other officers, "How did none of you see this man had a blade?! Did you not follow the new protocol like our boss approved?! I'm taking him to the clinic. Search and pat down everyone here..." He breathed, calming himself down. Castiel had let Dean get hurt again. He decided to pick Dean up and carry him to get to the clinic quicker.

Dean was practically covered in blood, and he couldn't contain his near yells of pain whenever Castiel took a step. This was definitely much worse than the other knife wound. In fact, it was the worst he'd ever suffered, and what was worse was that he was losing blood unreasonably fast, and he was pretty much on the brink of death. His heartbeat was slowing down, and his breathing wasn't too proper, either.

"Damn it, there better be someone there..." he muttered as he finally opened the doors to the clinic. "Hey! We need trauma now! Knife wound! Breathing is slowing down!" A couple of officers rushed over as Cas placed Dean on the stretcher. The two began immediate work on Dean by undressing his top half and applying an IV for a blood transfusion while the other lady started cleaning his gash.

The world spun around him as everything commenced. Dean shut his eyes, hoping to block it all out, but it was no use. His last resort was to pass out, but it was now or never. He'd lost blood, and he was in too much pain to think correctly. So he gave in for the very first time since he'd gotten there. Darkness took him away as he passed out. The last thing he heard was one of the people working on him say, "... he's passed out now..." and that was it.

Castiel watched as Dean fought, but gave up and decided to give in to the darkness. His heart sank, but he knew he wasn't dead yet. He watched as the officers started providing oxygen for him, and as they cleaned the wound, the knife cut was deep and quick. Something an expert would know how to do.

His eyes traced down to the front of his own shirt and saw that Dean's blood was all over his uniform. He knew he would need to change, but he didn't want to leave Dean's side.

It was after dinner the next day that Dean woke up. He'd gone into cardiac arrest for four whole minutes two hours prior, and everyone had been endlessly worried he wouldn't wake up since then. There seemed to be no officers in the room currently. Dean opened his eyes, seeing that his vision was black in his left. Was he blind in that eye? Then Dean realized there was a bandage over it. The light was so blinding that he closed his right eye, and opened it again, but slowly. "C-Cas?" He called out softly.

Castiel had only left to go to the bathroom and grab snacks, but otherwise, he stayed by Dean the whole time. His head shot up, "Dean? Dean, I'm here. I promise you're going to be okay." He reached over and gently squeezed his hand.

Dean breathed a sigh of relief when he heard Castiel's voice and felt his hand squeezed him gently. "Oh thank god you're still here...oh thank god..." Dean spoke, using whatever remained of his strength to pull Castiel into a tight and passionate hug. Thankfully, the painkillers numbed the pain from his massive wound, so it felt like it wasn't even there. Dean didn't let go, not even when he started to cry ever so silently.

Cas knew they were alone, so he allowed himself to shed a few tears, "I know I don't have to say this...but I need to. I'm sorry Dean...I'm sorry I let you get hurt again...I yelled at my colleagues, but I won't get in trouble for it. I feel like I failed you again...why would that guy just walk up to you and do that? Did he say anything?"

"You didn't fail me, Cas. You didn't fail or succeed in anything. That man is my father's brother. I'd assume my father made a deal with him that if he couldn't finish me before he died, his brother would, one way or another. He knew the wound I bear was fatal, but he thankfully was pulled away. He was prevented from finishing the job as said he would." Dean glanced at the ceiling, his muscles becoming tense and anger burning in his eyes. "But I know my family. He's not going to stop until he gets what he wants. That bastard will try and try again to kill me."

The officer thought for a moment while holding Dean. He needed to let his boss know who this man's connection is to Dean. He must have already been notified of the incident. "Dean. If this man truly wants to kill you, we need to let my boss know so he can be transferred." He silently vowed if the man tried something like that, this time, he would take the blow for him instead.

His eyes flashed. "No. Your boss doesn't need to know anything about that. I got myself into this. And if he's so determined, then he should face me and try, and I'll be ready the next time. I'm not going to let this just skip through my fingers. No, I won't." Dean said, the hint of a snarl in his voice. There was seriousness there too.

Cas heard the tone of Dean's voice change. He wanted to end this himself no matter what. "I can't have you getting hurt again. As someone who deeply cares about you...no as someone who loves you, I can't bear to witness the possibility of you getting killed by him in this place. I know this is a family matter, but just know I'm stepping in if I need to."

Dean pulled back and looked deeply into Castiel's eyes and lifted his hands to cup his cheeks. "Then...then we'll end this together if that's what we must do. Together, we will prevail." Dean whispered. Along with the goal of revenge, the other feeling Dean felt so profoundly that showed in his eyes was love. True and honest.

Castiel laughed softly and rested his forehead against Dean's, "It's a deal then. Together we will end this. I know we can do it. I have complete faith in us." His blue eyes sparkled as he gazed into the prisoner's green ones.

He smiled. "Okay. I do too." He spoke, keeping his gaze locked on Castiel's sparkling blue gaze. Dean tilted his head up to kiss him but stopped, realizing that he hadn't asked permission to do so. "I'm sorry..." he muttered. "I don't know what got into me there. I should've asked."

The officer smiled and tilted his head and went ahead and kissed Dean on the lips while he closed his eyes. He let Dean know through the kiss that he would always be there for him, no matter how things got, or if they ever got into an argument. That he wouldn't give up on him even if he would give up on himself. He pulled back and opened his eyes, "Was that good?"

Dean closed his eyes and returned the kiss Castiel gave him, letting him know the exact same. It was compelling to him. He opened his eyes and looked into Castiel's for a second. "Yeah," He replied. "Yeah, it was great." He smiled softly and slid his arms around Cas' neck, sitting a little closer to him.

Castiel breathed a sigh of relief, "Okay, that's good because I didn't think I'd do that good of a job," he chuckled. "Im happy you think I did, though. That's all that matters to me...How are you feeling?" Cas moved closer to Dean so that their bodies were touching, but he was careful not to touch Dean's wound area.

He'd begun to notice the painkillers wearing off, although he had been out for a long time. So he was hungry and starting to feel pain. But he let it slide, it was after dinner, he couldn't get a meal now. "Well, I feel fine. Painkillers are starting to wear off, so I'm going to be feeling that tomorrow. I also think I'm going to be blind in my left eye." He lifted a hand and touched the bandage over his left eye lightly. "Oh man, I had to wake up after dinner time? I can't get a meal now, haha."

Cas furrowed his brows, "Well, you can't see out of your left eye now because it's covered. You'd be surprised how badly a person's eye could get damaged, and they can still see out of it afterward. Your vision might be blurry at first." He smiled, "Hmm, I think I can sneak you a snack or two. What would you like, sir?"

"Really? I guess we'll see then." He replied. "As for a snack, anything edible would do right now." He spoke, nodding his head slightly. Dean shifted as the pain got stronger by the second. But he was not going to ask for painkillers. This was a battle he had to fight alone.

Castiel removed himself from Dean's grip and walked down the hall to a small vending machine. He decided to grab a granola bar and some crackers for him to munch on. That was simple enough. He walked back and handed him the snacks, "Here, those looked the most edible out of the snack machine. I'll grab some water for you, so your mouth doesn't get dry." The officer walked across the room to grab a cup of cold water for Dean.

Dean took the snack items and water when it was given to him. "Thanks, Cas." He said gratefully, starting to eat the crackers. He took small bites, even though his hunger was raging. The prisoner thought about potential plans to take out his father's brother, and the anger within him caused his muscles to flex. He wasn't happy about what had happened.

Once the officer sat down and watched Dean eat, he noticed his muscles slightly react either due to pain or anger. The vein on Dean's forehead was showing more. Cas tilted his head, "You are angry, Dean. I'm assuming about what happened. I wouldn't blame you. I would be too."

"Of course, I'm angry. That son of a bitch had a chance. He could've just not done that. He could've just walked away. He could've just saved me and my brother and I. He could have just-" Dean realized his voice was rising, and he abruptly cut himself off. He closed his eyes and took deep breaths, trying to cut his anger off. He'd never been like this in front of Castiel before. It was like a new him.

Castiel's eyes softened. He knew Dean had to let this emotion out, or else it would consume him and could potentially be set for disaster. If he held emotion in, he could take it out on someone else and end up seriously hurting the person unintentionally. Dean would not forgive himself afterward as he was not a violent person. "Let your anger out. I'm not thinking of you any differently when you show this side to me. You know as well as I do if you don't let it out, it will only continue to boil inside your veins and end up destroying you. I've certainly had my moments in the past."

"Oh, I'd love to know why my family couldn't have been even the least bit...argh! I could've fought back against my father all those years ago...but no! I had to let it sink in and tell myself, 'it's gonna get all better!' I let this happen, and it's my fault that I have yet another damn person who wants to rip my throat out and use my skull as something to drink out of!" Dean spat, glaring at the ground. "The only reason I didn't fight back was because I thought, 'oh no, what will they think of me if I fight back?' And I let that get to me! I made all this shit get to me, and I never fight back! Oh dear God I hate myself so much right now...I could've been the savior of our family, and I could've killed my father a long time ago in defense. But no, I couldn't even do that..." He snarled. There were sudden tears dripping down the right side of his face. He'd never felt so crippled in his life.

As Dean was unleashing some of his emotions he had kept buried inside him, Cas was conflicted. He felt happy that Dean was letting this all out into the open but unhappy that he felt as if he needed to hold back for everyone's sake. He spoke calmly, so Dean thought he wasn't upset at him, "You are a victim Dean. Of others and yourself because of your past. Your father treated all of you horribly and kept secrets about his brother wanting to finish the job. You did what you thought was right and took revenge on the man who abused you and the two people you loved most. But because of the bullshit, you started holding your own emotions back. Now, they're starting to surface."

"I should've let all this shit out a long time ago. But I didn't, and look where that landed me. You know, I could've not killed my father, and just I don't know, talked to him? But no, I had to make him pay with his life instead of thinking logically for a few seconds. And now I've got my father's brother after me...damnit why can't I just have two seconds without someone trying to kill me! I can't have anyone close to me anymore because they're either trying to kill me or they die at the end of it! This is why I told myself I'd never be with anyone again!" Dean was nearly yelling now, but he didn't care. It'd been too long since he'd told anyone this stuff.

Cas was silent, knowing that the last two sentences had nothing with him. Personally, it was just all Dean was holding inside. "I do not know your father, but given what you've shared, I find it very hard to believe he would sit down and have a chat with you. I feel if he did, he would do it so it landed in his favor. I believe he was an extremely troubled man who let his demons consume him, but he allowed them to. I think you only two options: Kill or be killed eventually."

Finally, Dean had nothing else to say, but he nodded slightly. But he knew what he needed. He needed to be alone. He was too weakened from his wound to really do anything, so it wouldn't be that much of a risk if he was left alone. "Castiel." He spoke his name. "I need you to just...leave me alone for an hour or two. This is something I need to think about alone."

As much as he wanted to say 'no, I don't think you need to be alone now,' Castiel wished to respect his feelings over his own possible selfish thoughts. "Since there is only one entrance in here, I'll be outside the door and check on you in an hour to see if you need one more by yourself." He smiled softly and exited the door and sat outside on the ground to allow Dean some privacy.

Dean thought about many things after Castiel went outside the door. He talked to himself and told himself things Castiel wouldn't allow to be said. Although, Dean didn't care that Cas could most likely hear what he was speaking from outside. An hour passed, and Dean was sitting on the bed, knees pulled up to his chest, arms crossed on his knees. He had his forehead resting on his arms, and it definitely sounded like he was crying. He'd realized being alone for an hour made everything worse. His anger was gone, though.

Castiel looked at his watch and saw that an hour had passed. He hadn't heard Dean say anything as he thought it would be an invasion of privacy if he secretly listened in on him. He opened the door and walked over to Dean, seeing how terrible he looked, "Judging by how you look, I'm not giving you another hour by yourself, Mister Winchester." He offered a gentle hand on his right shoulder.

Dean looked up, seeing Castiel. He reached up and wiped away his tears and stood up, facing Castiel for a few seconds. A sob escaped from his lips, and he stepped forward, wrapping his arms around Cas tightly, and he pulled him close so that their bodies were pressed against each other. He didn't loosen his grip, he just wanted Cas close to him right now.

The officer shouldn't have been surprised at Dean pulling him in for a tight embrace, but he needed it right now. Castiel wrapped his arms around Dean snugly and rubbed his back soothingly. "Just let it all out, Dean. Take as long as you need to."

He was silent for a split second but started sobbing into Castiel's shoulder a moment later. Alas, Dean knew he should have been stronger with his emotions. But he was letting out what he'd held in for so long. He knew Cas would lift him up in times like this. It made it easier for him, knowing that. The prisoner knew he could count on Cas, always and forever, no matter what.

Castiel has had his moments in the past where he needed to cry and let out buried emotion. It was such a great feeling afterward, but it stunk during the whole process. At this point, he didn't care whether Dean got tears or snot on him. What he cared about was that Dean was doing something positive for himself.

After what seemed like hours but was only thirty minutes, Dean finally stopped crying. He'd clung onto Castiel the whole time, and even as he finished, he still had him in a tight embrace. He didn't say a word as he calmed down but just took deep, shaky breaths while rubbing Castiel's back slowly.

Cas still held him just as tightly as Dean held onto him. He rested his head on his shoulder and tried to make a joke. "Hey. If someone just happens to see us like this, I'll tell them we have a bonding exercise, haha."

Dean chuckled softly. "Ha. They'd definitely believe that one." He spoke quietly, swaying gently. The heat he could feel from Castiel's body soothed him, and Dean pressed himself impossibly tighter into the officer's frame. "Mm, I wish we could stay like this forever." He sighed contentedly, referring to the embrace they shared.

He smiled, "Well, the only reason why we can't is because we are in a public place. But I do agree, i want to stay like this forever as well. It's very comforting and warm...Do you feel maybe a little less burdened Dean?" The prisoner's body language acted less cumbersome.

"Yeah. I do feel a little less burdened." He answered, noticing how his muscles had relaxed slightly. Dean suddenly felt how heavy his eyelids had become, but ignored it. He just wanted to be near Castiel, and do nothing else. He smiled softly.

"If you lay back down, I won't leave your side, you know. We will be back in your regular area tomorrow morning after breakfast. Although, I suppose I should probably go change into a cleaner uniform after what happened. I didn't do that when the medics were working on you." He admitted due to wanting not to leave his side.

The prisoner pulled back, keeping his arms where they were but looking into Castiel's mesmerizing blue eyes. "Cas...we need a plan." He stated, referring to his father's brother, how they were to take him down or kill him. He looked at Castiel expectantly.

He nodded, "You're right, we do need a plan. Well, I need to make sure he doesn't hurt you again for one. I yelled at my colleagues to follow the protocol and do the pat-downs for their assigned prisoners. Apparently, someone didn't do theirs good enough...What are some of his weaknesses if you know any? What do you have in mind that you want to do besides killing him?"

"Well, I suppose I've got a few things. For now, I'm just going to do some spying, try to find out what I can without getting caught." He spoke, voicing his thoughts. Dean had taken his bandages off during his one hour of self-destruction and noticed a mirror behind Castiel. He slipped past Cas and walked towards it, mesmerized by the reflection of himself.

The officer's eyes watched as Dean strode over to the mirror, looking at himself. He couldn't accurately read the expression on his face. The wound was pretty bad, but it could have been a lot worse. He could've lost nerve endings for one thing. "And what will you do if he catches you? Even if I'm in the same room with you?"

He stood tall, looking at himself in the mirror before turning his head left to look at Castiel, the wound shining in the light. Dean smiled. "I don't believe you know just how lethal I can be if I put my mind to it." He said slyly, then looked back at the mirror. The years of abuse he'd endured had taught him a lot about being a lethal human being.

Cas did a mental facepalm at thinking Dean would resort to fists if things were going downhill. "Dean...I know how badly you wish to wring your hands around his neck, but I'm advising you against it because there's the possibility of you having to be transferred. Be lethal with your words and indirect actions, but not anything direct." He stated in a serious tone.

"I'll try words," Dean promised. He did not turn away from the mirror for several seconds. Just staring at his reflection a little longer. Eventually, he turned around and leaned against a nearby wall, his expression unreadable as he looked at the ceiling.

"I'm only saying that because you mean something to me," Cas added as he walked over to Dean and cupped his face gently. "You are strong. You don't need to stoop down to his level to get your point across. People like him detest people like you, even if you weren't related or the whole deal scenario. You can cause damage to him, trust me, without throwing jabs. He's mentally weak."

Dean looked from the ceiling to Castiel's gaze. He didn't speak, he just nodded. As he felt Castiel's fingers brush over the wound on his face, he felt ashamed of it. Dean turned his face so that the left side of it was turned away from the officer so he couldn't see it. This had been intentional, he didn't want Castiel to see the wound.

Cas sighed, "Dean, you know I don't care about that. Even if it was all over your body. What matters to me is you only." He figured Dean was going to need proper time to adjust with the scar he would end up having, and that was normal. Especially for ones on the face.

He closed his eyes. It was going to be there forever, he had to get used to it, he couldn't be this self-conscious. Dean exhaled slowly and looked at Castiel, realizing that his hands were still on his face. In return, Dean reached up and cupped his face, staring into his beautiful blue eyes he knew so well now.

"If you ever need a little pick me up, I'll give you one. I could be serious again if you liked that better, haha," Cas chuckled, remembering Dean's reaction as he got flustered. He thought it was cute, but he hadn't said that to him yet, of course.

Dean raised his eyebrows. "I certainly do seem to need a pick me up right now." He said, his voice even and chill. The prisoner took his hands away from Castiel's face, letting them drop to his sides. His eyes glittered as he gazed sparingly at the officer.

He tilted his head and figured that was a cue on being serious with a little pick me up. He cleared his throat and looked into his green eyes. "Mister Dean Winchester. The scars of your strength, and don't let anyone else tell you otherwise. I for one, think you look handsome still, maybe even more. Maybe I always thought you were handsome...but would never admit to it until now."

Dean was speechless for a second, but he smiled. His face was flushed profoundly, and he looked at the ground before looking at Castiel again. "Damnit, C-Cas..." he stuttered, tripping over his words just like last time. "Y-you make me all flustered when you do t-that, but damn, I gotta s-say, I like it..." he blushed even more after the confession.

Cas' face went red, seeing Dean's reaction. It had worked again; he didn't think it would. That maybe it was just a one-time thing. Even if he himself would get flustered after seeing Dean like this, it was worth to him. He thought he should use this to his advantage if the time ever called for it. He rested his head on Dean's shoulder, "Haha...I didn't think I could make you do that again...but I'm happy I did."

Dean chuckled awkwardly. "W-well, you could probably make me do anything if you can make me do that." He admitted. Castiel was pretty much his weakness at this point. He was surprised he didn't get flustered every time he heard the officer's voice, or see him. It was astonishing sometimes how Cas made him feel.

"Hehe, then I guess you could say you're my weakness too. Of all the people I've encountered, you're the only one to ever make me feel this way." He looked back in his eyes once he raised his head. "You should probably get at least a few hours of sleep."

Dean locked his gaze with Castiel's for a few moments before nodding. He walked over to the cot and lay down in it, pulling the sheets over himself and yawning. When Castiel had come and sat down, Dean sat up. "One more thing- "He said before leaning over, cupping his face, and kissing him on the lips meaningfully, closing his own eyes.

Cas raised his eyebrows and closed his eyes as they locked lips again. It was just as magical as the first time. When Dean kissed him, he told all his feelings through one kiss. And it was so blissful. He mumbled between kisses, "I could get used to goodnight kisses from you."

Dean broke the kiss for a few seconds. "You should expect them more, then, hm?" He spoke softly. He kissed him again for a few more seconds before pulling away gently. "Alright, I imagine we both want to sleep. Goodnight, Cas." Dean spoke, pecking his lips one more time before laying down and closing his eyes.

Castiel smiled and blushed, "Well, I'll sleep as best as I can after that. But yes, I expect more of them from now on. Goodnight, Dean." He positioned himself comfortably as he could in the oversized chair and closed his eyes, drifting off into his trance state.

Dean heard his words even as he was falling asleep. He nodded slightly and slowly but inevitably fell into a state of sleep. He'd have pleasant dreams tonight, he was sure. Even the pain of his wound no longer bothered him as he fell asleep. With Castiel near, he felt safe and secure. It was all he needed.

Castiel had visions in his mind of him and Dean seeing each other out of the prison walls and what that encounter would've been like. He was sure they'd still have romantic feelings for each other, but it would just be a different environment. Maybe like a school or a park?

Dean had similar visions to Castiel's in his sleep, and questions surfaced upon specific points. The next day he would question himself what would've happened if they met under different circumstances. Meaning outside the prison walls. He even had a dream that he and Cas had escaped the prison together and had a life that way.


	6. Chapter 6

Morning rolled around the corner while they were in the clinic. The officer opened his eyes and rubbed them, yawning a bit. He had rested pretty decently. Looking over at Dean, his lips turned into a smile seeing him peacefully sleeping.

Even when morning made its appearance, Dean still slept, at peace and content with the silence in the clinic. He wanted nothing more than sleep, also as morning came. The prisoner turned onto his right side since he'd slept on his back all night. He couldn't turn onto his left side because that'd open up his wound, and that was the last thing anyone needed.

Castiel admired Dean sleeping, but he knew he had to wake him up for breakfast soon. He'd give him ten more minutes of peaceful slumber. Cas realized he still had on his bloody uniform from yesterday. He would wait for Dean to be awake before he would jog down the hallway and change. He tapped Dean's shoulder, "Dean...it's almost time for breakfast."

Dean opened his eyes a crack but closed them again for a few seconds. He sighed and sat up, blinking away the sleep from his system. Drawing a hand over the wound on his face, he made sure it wasn't open and bleeding. It was okay, for now. He looked at Castiel. "Did you get enough sleep?" He asked, groggily.

He nodded, "As much as I normally do anyway. I haven't had an actual sleep cycle in years, I think my body has just become used to it since I always have to watch my back. That and the last time I allowed myself to take a nap, I almost got hit in the back of the head with a metal pole."

Dean grimaced. "That would've hurt." He commented, standing up. He slicked a hand over his hair and sat down on the bed, looking up at Castiel. "I never told you you're actually very handsome, officer." He stated a smirk on his face. His green eyes glittered, the rays of sunlight coming through the window lighting his frame.

The guard blinked a few times while looking at Dean then turned his head to the side, "I uh...well, thank you, Dean, haha... You're causing me to blush." He scratched the back of his head before smiling and looking back at him. "I'm going to go change uniforms real quick before we leave. It's still dirty from yesterday. Don't want to walk into the mess hall looking like I caused a murder."

He snickered. "Alright. I'll wait here then. And good, that I made you blush. That was my goal." Dean tilted his head up, triumph shining in his eyes. He gave Castiel a measured look of 'Try me.' This lasted for a few moments before he broke it.

Before Castiel walked out the door, he gave Dean a look that said, 'You don't want to do that.' Though it was a serious expression, he had a way of allowing Dean to know it was still in a playful manner.

He walked out and started jogging towards the living quarters to change real quick. Grabbing a fresh uniform, he discarded his old one and became sharp at last. He clipped his belt back on as he was walking quickly back to Dean. "Ready to go to eat?"

Dean stood up when Castiel comes back in, having a fresh uniform on. He eyed him critically before giving a nod of approval. "Lookin' sharp, officer." He said as he stepped forward in front of Castiel. Looking closer, you could see that his left eye was a milky green white. Instead of the usual bright forest green, his right eye bore.

Cas did a bow of gratitude before looking into Dean's eyes. He noticed his left one sustained some aesthetic damage. "How's your eye, Dean? Can you see relatively well out of your left one? He asked as they started walking when Castiel held Dean's wrists.

Dean suddenly realized the bandages weren't on him anymore, which could only mean one thing for his left eye. "No...I can't see at all out of my left eye. It's all black. I can only see out of my right eye…" He trailed off. He knew it, he had to be blind in his left eye. The knife had been enough damage that it had caused blindness. "At least I can still see." He muttered harshly, more to himself than Castiel.

The officer stayed quiet knowing that if Dean could see, he would have had a vision by now, even if it was blurry. Damn that swine...Castiel wished he could personally make the man's own left eye blind after what happened to Dean, but he couldn't. He decided to stay quiet just in case he would say something that could be taken the wrong way.

Dean stayed quiet the rest of the way, not wanting to really speak. When they got to the breakfast hall, a few people turned to look at Dean, and soon the rest of them were looking at him. The complete silence was broken by the sound of a piece of silverware hitting the floor. Dean winced, his hearing was getting sharper because of the partial loss of sight.

"Stop staring at me, would you?" Dean suddenly yelled. "Have some damn respect!" He snapped, walking away, not even bothering to get food, just sitting down by himself. Prisoners and officers started to murmur amongst themselves.

Castiel flinched when Dean yelled at the watching eyes, not expecting him to. Although he didn't blame him. It was very rude to just stare at someone who has already been through enough. He watched as Dean walked towards a table by himself and followed after grabbing a shake. He gave Dean a little space but was leaning on the wall closest to his desk as usual. He looked at some of the officers who were talking, and he gave them a glare that said, 'Don't you dare start any rumors. Keep it in your mouths.'

The officers who had been talking abruptly stopped at Castiel's glare. Dean's gaze went around the hall until he found him. His father's brother, at the table in front of Dean, was talking to a few friends. Dean's eyes narrowed, and a calculating look came across his face. He could hear what they were saying. It didn't seem right.

Castiel went back to drinking his shake and noticed Dean was eyeballing the table in front of him where the target was. It looks like they were keeping to themselves. He couldn't make out what they were saying from where he was standing, but Dean had a stern look on his face. His gears were turning for sure.

As he heard what they were saying, Dean had to restrain himself from standing and attempting murder because of what he was hearing. But he kept the information to himself. He'd need it for future reference. Just then, the supposed target looked straight at Dean. They locked gazes, both equally having expressions of unwavering hate and anger. The other man broke the stare first, and Dean's lips curled up into a smirk of triumph. His green gaze was cold.

The officer watched as the two locked eyes momentarily. There was definite tension. How could there not be after what happened? Cas could tell that Dean could hear every word being said. He wasn't going to push him into telling him what it was. He decided to give him a fair warning after breakfast as his uncle may be trying to throw him off with their conversation.

Fifteen minutes passed, and the three departed, leaving Dean's uncle by himself at the table. Dean himself still had his eye on him the whole time, watching his every move. The prisoner even hadn't eaten anything, and he was hungry, but he didn't let it throw him off from his spying.

Cas realized Dean still hadn't had any breakfast, and there were only fifteen minutes left to grab something. He wasn't about to baby Dean and grab a snack for him. He could make his own decisions about eating, but he knew Dean would not regret not munching on something. His mind was too focused on boring his eyes in the back of his uncle's head. He was staring intently enough that Cas wouldn't be surprised if laser beams shot out.

Finally, he closed his eyes and stood up, walking over to the table his friends sat at. He leaned down and whispered something in one of their ears and walked away. The select friend talked with the other two men. Dean smiled to himself and got some food and sat down, starting to eat. He watched as whatever he'd said was passed on, prisoner to prisoner. This was a tactical thing he'd just done. He knew what he was doing.

The officer raised an eyebrow at how he saw Dean cause a chain reaction amongst the prisoners. It was a good move on his part. This reminded Castiel of how he read a case that involved someone breaking the system from inside out. Brilliant move without getting directly involved. He gave props to Dean for the movement he just played. The ball was in his uncle's court now.

The two people who'd been with Dean's uncle earlier stood up and walked to him, telling him what had happened. Dean observed, taking a sip of his water. He watched as two groups formed, one side for him and one side for his uncle. That had been his intention. Dean chuckled softly to himself. It was like a war.

Two groups had formed inside the dining hall. Dean was essentially starting a civil war within the prison walls. At least it wasn't a gang war; those were brutal and violent. This seemed more passive-aggressive and making a point known to everyone. Unless there was a straggler who just wanted an excuse to punch someone in the face.

Dean stood up and took care of his things and looked at the two groups. They seemed even. Everyone was sitting on their side, and Dean's uncle stood up from the other side, causing disapproving mutters from Dean's unit. The two 'leaders' faced each other, and there was tension rising not only between them but between the sides too.

Seeing as the air grew thicker, Castiel and the other officers watched carefully, ready to jump in if an altercation broke out. When this had happened in the past for different reasons, someone had thrown a pepper spray bomb to disperse everyone away from each other. He prayed it didn't have to come to that.

Dean and his uncle started to circle each other. "So how's it feel after all these years, Dean? You're in prison. I had better hopes for you." Dean's uncle said.

"No you didn't. You had every chance to save me, my mother, and my brother from your brother. Instead you stood by and watched. You have no right to speak about anything I've done." Dean replied, choosing his words carefully.

Watching the two family members square off was like watching a nature documentary where two lions were circling each other, getting ready to pounce for some fresh meat. The other prisoners on either side backing them up were their own pride of lions.

"Oh, really? Do I? I think I do. You killed your own father." The older man shot back. There were gasps on both sides.

Dean narrowed his eyes. "I had a right to! He tortured the three of us! He put bullets through my mother and brothers' heads!" He snarled, his old hate for his father firing up again. "You killed two innocent men. That makes you no better than me."

Cas hadn't known the details of Dean's uncle, but hearing him say the guy killed two men, it certainly meant he was dangerous. He would kill again if he had the chance. Killers like him took resting periods before getting an urge to slit someone's throat over. Those types were the hardest to catch, but it was lucky the police got him before he went into a period of rest.

"No better than you? Interesting." His uncle paused for a few seconds to choose his next words. "Tell me, Dean," He began. "With what you've done, do you think anyone could love you?" He asked.

Dean tilted his head up. "I'm one hundred percent confident that the answer is yes." The prisoner replied. "You're missing something. Where's your proof, Dean?" His uncle shot back. Dean faltered in his walking.

The officer nearly choked on the last of his shake as Dean's uncle asked him that question. Dean said yes, and Cas was confident he was hinting at them being together. He listened carefully as to how Dean would answer the question.

"My proof? You could say it' s-or rather they-are standing here now, listening and watching as this goes on. I will not show you who." Dean replied. His uncle raised an eyebrow. "Alright. What's his name, at least?" The older prisoner asked, looking at Dean expectantly. Dean's breath caught in his throat. Did he have to say Castiel's name, or would he have to just say something else? His gaze flicked to Castiel for help-a a nod of consent-anything.

Castiel gives him a look, and he tells him with his eyes to say what he thinks is best. That he won't be mad. If things backfired for him personally, he could cover his tracks decently.

Dean looked back at his uncle. "I'm not going to tell you his name." He spoke. His fingers twitched, and his side of prisoners suddenly became tense. "You don't deserve to know!" He said, his voice a yell on the last part.

Suddenly, all hell broke loose. The two sides rushed at each other, and they suddenly were fighting. Dean saw a window not far that he could get through. He'd be concealed because of the chaos. He ran towards it, leapt up, and punched the window. He peered over his shoulder before getting out and running, as fast as he possibly could. He needed to get out of the place, the state. Having been not only on basketball in high school but also track, he was fast on his feet and had already gotten far. The sidewalks were slick with falling rain, but that didn't stop him. At this point, not many could catch up to him. He stopped at an alleyway and ran into it, jumping up onto a set of stairs on the side of the building and hiding there. In the shadows, while rain fell and soaked him through. But the storm was slightly warm. He did not mind.

Everything happened so quickly that Castiel barely had time to process what occurred until he heard the window being smashed. Dean. Dean was making a break for it. Cas knew alarms would sound immediately once everyone concocted what happened. He shook his head and bolted, leaping out the window with one arm, landing skillfully. Where the hell could have Dean gone, and why? Now it was his job to find him…

Dean stayed where he was on the stairwell, but moved up a few levels to ensure his safety. He lay down, making himself as flat as possible to make himself a lot less seeable. Now the man was just a criminal on the run. But he would get out of this city, this state. He would not go back to that prison. He was never going back to that hellhole. He needed to do what he could. But first, he had to make sure he wasn't caught and dragged back. He was sure the rain would make it hard for a pursuer to see or hear him.

The officer's mind raced and knew Dean didn't want to go back. He didn't blame him. He vowed himself silently that he would find him no matter what and just talk to him. At some point, he would need to change out of his uniform, so he did not draw attention to himself. At least the rain made it less suspicious. He sighed and walked around the building and found a small alleyway. He leaned against the entrance to it, but not inside the alley itself.

Dean peered through the separation space between the metal slabs of the stairs and found Castiel. He would at least try to talk to him, but he would let him know he wasn't going back. Carefully and quietly, he went down a few levels of stairs, and jumped off the last level, landing skillfully. He raised himself to his full height, looking at Castiel.

The officer heard a noise and found Dean standing not too far from him. Relief washed over his heart. He looked into Dean's eyes, "Dean...I have a feeling I know what you're going to say."

"Good. Then I don't have to say it." He spoke, looking back into the sergeant's blue eyes. Dean knew that Castiel knew what he would have said. He looked at Cas expectantly. The ex-prisoner wanted him to say something, do something, anything. Hell, he wouldn't even mind a kiss at this point.

Castiel couldn't even fathom why this idea was floating around in his head. He was thinking about literally running off with Dean. He didn't want him to be alone. The only thing stopping him was that he would have to cover his tracks really good as an ex-police guard. He shook his head and glanced up at Dean, walking closer to him so that they were about a foot away.

He decided to be honest. "Want to know what's going on in my mind?" He paused. "I'm thinking about faking my death...could say I was out trying to find you and ended up getting myself killed by being reckless...And before you say anything about me forcing myself. No. I am not...I actually had a dream about this...if I may be honest."

Dean studied him with his excellent eye for a few moments before answering. He sighed softly. "Well...if that's what you really want...then do it. I wouldn't mind being a runaway with you." He spoke. His green gaze softened as he looked at the officer. He didn't really process or care that they were only standing about a foot apart.

Cas laughed softly, "We make quite the pair, don't we? I just now realized that. An ex-prisoner and an ex-police guard..." he stopped what he was saying when he heard footsteps. Instinctively, he grabbed Dean and took him back in the alleyway and hid them behind a dumpster.

Dean was surprised at his actions but heard the footsteps too. He kept quiet, cradled against Castiel's body, hoping they wouldn't be found. The only movement he made was the rise and fall of his chest, but nothing else for fear of exposing the two of them. He had a sudden thought. What if that was not an officer, but his uncle? He pushed the idea away.

When the footsteps were gone completely, Castiel sighed. He leaned in to whisper to Dean, "Let's stay here for a few just to make sure we are clear." He knew if they were found, trouble would arise for both of them. He was extra cautious now given the situation. He couldn't help but enjoy Dean huddled against him; he just hated why he was in fear for his life.

Dean nodded, holding Castiel's wrist with his hand gently for comfort. He let himself lean against him, enjoying his warmth and the safety of his arms. The ex-prisoner now could only hear the patter of rain against the ground and Castiel's breathing. His keen hearing couldn't pick up any sounds other than that.

A few moments pass, and Castiel bends his head to whisper to Dean, "The coast is clear. How far is your place? Mine is just a couple blocks from here. We could walk and jog to it to get proper shelter."

"Let's go to your place, I'm not sure what happened to mine anyway." He spoke. Dean thought maybe they could have sold his house, for a decent amount of money too. If they didn't, well, that was good also, though he'd probably never return to it. He hoped they hadn't sold his '67 Chevrolet Impala. His mother-despite everything that had happened-had given him that car.

Cas helped Dean up from their cramped position and guide them towards his place quickly, just in case. "If you need to check anything on your place, feel free to use my laptop when we get there...I don't have any food there now that I think about it. We can always think about that later. Right now, let's make haste."

Dean nodded and walked hastily with Castiel, looking behind his shoulder and looking around to make sure they weren't followed. He'd probably need to check up in his place when they got there, but the main task right now was to get there in one piece. He listened carefully while they walked since his ears now could pick up anything-they were that sharp.

About three-quarters of the way there, Cas noticed a group of people and didn't want to draw attention to them. He tugged Dean's sleeve, and they made a detour in another alleyway. Sighing, they finally reached Castiel's apartment. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out his house key and unlocked it. "Finally out of the rain. We are soaked. Don't worry about getting water on the floor."

Dean gave a small sigh and stepped in, feeling the chill of the rain slowly dissipate. He heard the door close behind him, and he looked around the interior of the apartment. It was relatively small, of course. But that suited him just fine. He eyed the couch for a few seconds but didn't approach it. He didn't think Castiel wanted a piece of wet furniture.

The ex-officer went back to his room and grabbed some dry clothes for them to wear. He snapped off his belt, pulled out his pistol, and made sure the safety was still on before placing it in a safe. Coming back, he handed some clothes to Dean. "Here you go. You'll be less cold. You can change in the bathroom if you want. I'll just change in my bathroom."

Dean thanked him quietly and went to the bathroom, closing the door behind him and changing quickly. The outfit was simple, but it made him look sharp. A white t-shirt with three buttons near the top and blue jeans. The outfit made his eyes pop, which he liked. His hair, which hadn't been its typical dirty blonde in a long while, seemed to be restored back to its original color, and Dean dried it with a towel and slicked his hand over it. He gave himself an approving nod and stepped back out, bundling up his wet clothes. For the first time in a long while, he felt decent.

Cas went back after nodding a welcome to Dean and was all ready to get out of his drenched uniform. He tossed his suit into a ball on the floor while changing into a blue t-shirt with a pocket and a pair of darker denim jeans. He sighed happily that he was dry. Taking up his wet uniform, he carried it into the small laundry nook and tossed them into the basket to be dealt with later.

Dean went over to the couch, sitting down and leaning back, putting his arms up onto the back of the sofa. His eyes were half-lidded, and he was listening to the silence and the outside patter of rain that healthy human ears wouldn't be able to pick up. It wasn't hard for him, while someone like Cas would have to listen hard to hear it. Dean closed his eyes, looking content there in his little spot.

The ex-officer walked back into the room and smiled, seeing Dean so tranquil sitting down. "I bet you missed the feeling of how a couch feels on your back? I can say I missed the feeling of comfortable furniture myself, haha." He commented as he plopped himself down on a chair next to the couch.

He opened his right eye a crack, looking at Castiel before closing it again. "I missed the feeling of being free, and to be with someone, I truly love," Dean spoke quietly, and with truth. They weren't exactly free, yet, but he considered himself free already. If he wasn't behind bars, he was alright now. It would have driven him crazy to be in that place for a year, especially with so much tension. Dean shifted closer to the chair Castiel sat in and held his hand, squeezing it gently, resting his head on the couch cushion. He looked honestly at peace.

As Dean scooted closer and carefully squeezed Castiel's hand, he smiled. It was a great feeling to be back in his home, but it was an even greater feeling to have Dean with him. It made it all the more special in his mind. Cas got up out of the chair and decided to sit next to Dean on the couch as he still held his hand. "Yeah I missed the feeling of not being in that building. It makes it even more special with you here... I'll have to make a call to a contact I've known for years. He can help us out in this situation."

While still holding Castiel's hand, Dean put his arm around him. "I agree. Being in that cell wasn't very fun, even if I wasn't showing it much. I feel safer and happier with you by my side here. And help would be good." He spoke, rubbing Castiel's shoulder in a comforting manner. He leaned his head lightly against the ex-officers.

Cas blushed slightly. "Well I don't blame you. I've never been on the other side of those bars, but I've seen someone go insane over time because of it. Sort of like cabin fever. I'm pretty sure he was already partially insane when he arrived..." He gently swung an arm around Dean's shoulders, holding them closer together.

Dean smiled softly, feeling some heat rise to his cheeks. "I'd agree with you on that. Thinking that he failed his task until his target, me, came along. Then he made it his goal to finish me. When I saw that window, I knew it was my only chance for survival. I had to run. I didn't expect you to be on the run with me, but that's better than I could've asked for. I know you'd never leave me alone unless I asked for it. I'm not going to because I need someone, you, by my side."

"Freedom is definitely a temptation to give in to after being locked up, haha. You're right. I wouldn't have left you alone unless you clearly told me to. I know deep down you don't want to be alone, but I'd still give you space if you would ever need it. I thought I'd be 'alone' for the rest of my life, but I like this scenario a whole lot better. I guess what they say is true: Love makes you do crazy things." He chuckled. "But I don't regret it." Castiel closed his eyes resting up against Dean. "Maybe now I can get a good night's sleep for once."

Dean smiled, kissing Castiel's forehead for a few seconds. "Get a couple of hours' sleep. I'll be right here." He stated, looking around for a few seconds before making himself relax fully. He wrapped his arms around Cas, pulling him as close as he could. He held him like that, not loosening his protective grip on the ex-sergeant.

He smiled and blushed when Dean kissed his forehead. He felt a wave of happiness spread throughout his body. "I'll take that offer since I'm here with you." Castiel gave Dean a kiss on the cheek before nuzzling his head up against him. He closed his eyes, let his mind fully relax, and soon he was in a peaceful slumber that he had not had for so many years.

Dean let him sleep. He realized he needed to sleep too, as he never fully slept in the cell at night, even though it looked like it. So he closed his eyes and let his body relax. After a little while, he too fell into a deep sleep.

The two slept together, holding each other as the rain fell against the window. It was a tranquil setting. Almost out of a picture book. Castiel dreamt of himself and Dean on a beach coastline.

Dean dreamed of nothing this time when he slept. He only saw blackness, and it was peaceful. Although, his ears were alert for any noise from the outside. He heard nothing, of course. He was calm and collected, sleeping with Cas at his side.

It must have been a few hours when Castiel started waking up. He squeezed his eyes and opened them. He realized he was still resting on Dean and smiled, knowing it was reality. His blue eyes drifted down, and he noticed he left a tiny pile of drool on Dean's borrowed shirt. That must have meant he was in a deep sleep because he's never done that before.

The ex-prisoner did not wake up, but he stirred slightly, grunting softly and continuing to sleep. Dean didn't know that Castiel had woken up. His chest rose and fell with even, calm breaths, and his hair was slightly disheveled. But he looked younger in his sleep.

Cas still hadn't raised his head up from Dean as he noticed he was still breathing at a rhythmic pattern from sleeping. He lay quietly, enjoying the special moment of them cuddling and sleeping, holding each other. He figured once Dean woke up, he should ask what he wanted to eat. Castiel decided that he would treat him since he got out of prison. Even if they both escaped from the building. He also needed to call his contact to get the ball rolling with faking his death.

Dean's body decided it was time to wake up, so he did. He opened his eyes and looked around. He tended up when he forgot where he was for a few seconds, then remembered he was at Castiel's house and relaxed. He blinked a few times, letting his right eye adjust to the light. "Cas?" He spoke his name in a near whisper.

Castiel raised his head up, "Good afternoon Dean. I was just lying still. I didn't want to disturb you while you were still sleeping." He kissed his forehead.

Dean smiled softly and blushed as Castiel kissed his forehead. "I would've been fine if you'd woken me up, but thank you for letting me sleep." He replied. It had stopped raining, and outside, the sun's rays cast over everything. The water droplets made everything seem crystalline. Dean cupped Castiel's face with his hands. "How'd you sleep?"

The ex-officers' face got warmer when Dean cupped his face. "I uh...may have left a tiny drool spot on your shirt. I've never slept deeply in a long while. I'm sure my body will take time to adjust. I had a nice dream of us on a beach coastline." He smiled, remembering the dream.

Dean chuckled softly. "That's alright. I slept better than I have in a while. It was good that my hearing didn't pick up much sound. I have extra sensitive hearing in place of having only half of my visionary field." He spoke, tilting his head to one side slightly. "And you had a dream about us? Tell me about it."

Castiel felt bad that Dean still only had half of his vision. It was a plus they he had better hearing than himself though. "Well, in my dream, we were on a coastline of a beach together. I remember us just enjoying the sunrise and the soft sand on our feet. It was serenity at its finest."

Dean nodded. "That sounds like a nice dream. I've never actually been to the beach before, so I wouldn't really know what that is like. But I imagine it's quite pleasing." He spoke, a small smile on his face. "Actually, now that I think about it, all of my senses are heightened. My right eye has even better vision than it had."

"I've not been either, I've only seen it in movies and books." Cas tilted his head at Dean's observation of his senses, "Really? Your heightened senses will come in handy when we are on the run haha...Oh I need to call my contact real quick. I'll just do it sitting next to you, you already know what I'll be saying." The ex-officer reaches into his pocket and pulls out his cellphone.

Cas ruffled Dean's hair before typing in the number and holding it up to his ear. "Hey its Castiel Novak...Yes, I know it's been a while...We can catch up another time...I need you to send a plan in motion for me...I need you to ensure that I'm completely off the radar...Yes, I need you to fake my death..." His eyes glanced over at Dean. "You could say I'm retiring in a very untraditional way, haha...Thank you...Yes, I'll keep in touch...All right, talk soon."

Cas hung up the phone and placed it on the table in front of them, "And that's that. Business will be taken care of completely in about two and a half weeks."

Dean smiled at him and nodded approvingly. "Good, good." Then, a sudden thought occurred to him, and the smile faded. "Hey, Cas? Could I borrow your laptop? I think I should check my emails since it's been a few weeks." He spoke, glancing at the ground and then at Castiel again.

Cas saw Dean's smile fade and knew he was worried about what he could possibly have received in his inbox. "Of course, use it for whatever you need." He gets up to go back to his room and comes back with his laptop, handing it off to Dean. "What would you like to do for food? It's your call this time."

Dean took the laptop and immediately got onto his email, not looking up from it. "Ah...I don't know. You got any money? We could go out together." He suggested. He paused, the arrow cursor hovering over one email. He clicked on it, and as he read it, the color drained from his face. This was the most unexpected thing to happen.

The ex-officer moved to the kitchen and saw the cupboards were bare. Castiel popped his head back in only to see Dean's face white as a sheet. "Dean, what's wrong?" He was concerned because he had never seen Dean look like this before, even when he was in prison.

His one-eyed gaze was fixed on the screen, unable to process what he had just read. Dean ran a hand through this hair, speechless for several moments before he looked at Castiel. He looked at him, mouth agape before blinking. "Oh, no. This is the opposite of wrong. It's from the NBA." He said, sounding distant. "They... they're offering me a contract and a spot on one of the teams."

Cas did a double-take and blinked a few times before rushing over to see the email. He was speechless out of excitement for Dean. But he had to ask, "It's not fake, right? Like one of those spam emails? Sorry I just want the excitement to be genuine. It's about time someone contacted you with how I saw you play." He turned his head to Dean, "Are you going to take it? If you do, I'll support you all the way."

"No, it's not fake. Definitely not. I know it's not." He replied quickly. When Castiel looked at him and asked if he would take it, Dean broke into a wide smile. There were a few tears falling down his cheeks, but they were tears of joy. "Of course, I'm going to take it. I've dreamed about this all my life, how could I not? I'm being given a second chance at life."

A wide smile appeared on Cas' face, and he patted Dean on the back, "I agree. You should definitely take it. I expect getting front row VIP tickets," he lightly joked and wiped Dean's tears with his thumb. "Out of all the prisoners I've been assigned to and seen, you definitely deserve this chance before any of them."

"Front row VIP tickets it is." He spoke, chuckling softly. For a few moments, he stared at Castiel, and then he stepped forward and hugged him tightly, patting him on the back before releasing him. "So, once the fake-your-death plan is in motion, we are moving, obviously." He pointed finger guns at Cas for a second.

The ex-officer mimicked finger guns at Dean and laughed. "Agreed. It would be stupid to stay here after that plan is in place. I'd be known as a walking dead man."


	7. Chapter 7

A couple of weeks had passed since that day, and Dean and Castiel had moved to a different state, gotten a decent house, and Dean had gotten his beloved car, his Impala, back too. He'd signed a contract for six years on a team, and he'd get about thirty-five million dollars per year. That was a lot, but this was the NBA. It was two hours before Dean's very first game, and he was staring at his reflection in the mirror, telling himself he was ready to go out onto the court and play. A nervous wreck, he was.

Castiel was walking past the room Dean was in and saw him staring at the mirror. Dean was probably a bundle of nerves since this was his debut game. He walked over and lightly massaged his shoulders, "Alright, let's get out there and show them what you're made of! Sorry, was that too corny of a pep talk?" He chuckled.

"Wha-no, no, of course not. Oh, you'll probably want this." Dean stated, holding out to Castiel a front-row VIP ticket and twenty dollars. The money was for food, drink, and whatever else Cas would want during the game. "You'll be all set with that, I should think. Now, we go, or what?" He said, his eyes flashing with excitement.

Usually, Cas would refuse the money Dean offered, but he didn't want to ruin the excitement he was having. A bright smile appeared on his face, and he gave a peck on Dean's cheek, "Let's go! I'll be cheering you on in the front row."

Dean nodded, blushing slightly at the peck on his cheek. The two of them went to the car, and Dean drove them to the courts. His team was playing at home this game. When they got there, Dean stopped them at the gates leading to the inside. "Alright. This is where we depart. Go to your seat, the game will start in about ten minutes." He spoke, settling a hand on Castiel's shoulder for a few seconds.

The ex-officer patted Dean's hand on his shoulder and smiling before departing off to where the seats were for the public. His blue eyes spotted the front row VIP section, and he had his badge on him to let the staff know he wasn't trying to con them. He settled himself down into a seat and placed his hands in his lap, anxiously awaiting the team's arrival.

Ten minutes later, everyone was ready, and Dean had his uniform on. A couple of people cheered as the opposing team walked into the court first from their locker rooms. Then it was his team's turn. Dean and his team members walked out of their locker rooms and onto the court in a single file. There were louder cheers, and Dean glanced around for a split second, his eyes widening. There had to be more than 16,000 people there, but that was average.

Cas hadn't noticed how many people were actually in the stadium until the crowd cheered for their favorite team. He jumped a bit at the sheer noise volume, but relaxed when he saw Dean's home team come out. He clapped his hands as he was not much of a yeller. He shot Dean a smile as he was proud of this opportunity he had at a second chance.

His green gaze landed on Castiel, who shot him a smile. Dean gave him a smile back. The two teams stood opposite each other. When the other side got the ball, the game began. Dean ran across and guarded the person with the ball, keeping his eyes on the ball. The crowd took up a chant of "Defense!" while this happened. Finally, when the other man shot, Dean jumped up and batted it to one of his team members, and they ran to the other side, Dean following. He was engaged in the game now.

Before Castiel had met Dean in prison, he was only familiar with the basics of basketball. Dean had taught him more in-depth information, and Cas looked at some videos in his free time to truly understand what was happening during the game. He felt like the more he would watch Dean play, the more it would stick to his brain, but he was more knowledgeable than he had been before.

The first two-quarters of the game passed quickly, with the opposing team winning by thirteen points. It was halftime, and both sides sat down to get water and take a small rest. Everyone was sweaty, but not tired quite yet. How were they to beat a thirteen point lead? Dean looked up at the scoreboard and then turned his head to look at Castiel, sitting a couple of feet away. His heightened senses were proving useful on the court. Even though he couldn't see on his left side, he could sense if someone was close to him, and take action against it.

The ex-officer looked at the scoreboard. Castiel's memory flashed to when they were back at the prison yard, and Dean's team was behind fifteen points. That was when he successfully made a full-court shot. His eyes met Dean's gaze and waved a bit, flashing a smile for support. He was amazed at how good Dean was able to play even with half his vision. The human body was amazing when adapting to lost senses.

Dean gave a smile and a wave back, held their gazes for a moment longer, and then broke them off. It was now the end of halftime, and the teams were back at it again to play. His team had played three games before this one, so they knew what they had to lose. When the third quarter began, someone on Dean's team was blocked by too many defenders. Dean raised his hands to his chest, a silent signal that he was asking for the basketball. When he had it in his hands, he immediately turned toward his team's hoop and shot, and it made it in. There was cheering as the score went up. A ten-point lead was all they had to beat before the fourth quarter came and went.

Castiel clapped when Dean scored. With them needing ten points to lead the game, he believed that Dean and his team could win this game. The opposing team was skilled enough to use a few tactics Cas had never seen, but he knew Dean was thinking how to counter them to lead the home team to victory.

The third quarter passed, with the opposing team having a six-point lead. Someone scored again, and Dean's team needed one more shot to win the game or head it into overtime. But the only problem was, there was twenty seconds left in the fourth quarter and no one was really willing to take a shot. Someone passed the ball to Dean, and he was cast into the memory of when he'd made a full-court shot at the prison. He was on the other side of the court. Ten seconds left. "...and it looks like the rookie, Dean Winchester, is going to attempt a full-court shot..." Dean heard the announcer saying. With that, he jumped and took the shot, his form aligning. Time seemed to slow. Phone cameras were being held up.

Would he break a world record, be the first to make the full-court shot?

As Castiel watched all of Dean's movements, he found his muscles tensing up as the clock kept counting down. His eyes focused on Dean when twenty seconds were left. It was just like in the prison yard. Cas knew that if Dean made the shot, he would make NBA history, and this time, it'll be on camera. He crossed his fingers and said a silent prayer for Dean's shot.

People were standing as the ball sailed across the court, everyone was watching it, including Dean himself as he landed on his feet. Three... It was halfway across. Two... Nearly there. On one, the ball went into the hoop seamlessly. "And he makes it for the win! Unbelievable!" The announcer shouted as there was a sudden uproar from everyone in the stadium, even the other team. Dean smiled, holding his hands up. They'd won by a hair, but they still won. His team bounced towards him, awestruck expressions on their faces, and they hugged him, clapped him on the back, whatever they could do. There were phone cameras and television cameras aimed at the scene, the crowd. The four screened replay station, as Dean would call it, replayed the shot again.

The ball flew across the court, everything seemed to be in slow motion. Castiel held his breath and jumped up when he saw the ball swish into the court. He was amazed that Dean made the shot again! This time it was captured for everyone to see and not just a story out of a prison yard. Dean had proved to everyone that he was who he said he was. The public could see it for their eyes now, it wasn't just Castiel that saw Dean was capable of achieving great things.

Dean was interviewed twice after that, and then he and his team went to go change into their regular clothes. When he came back out, he was a bundle of happiness, and he waited outside the gates for Castiel, hoping he'd know where he was. When Castiel found him, Dean smiled and engulfed him in a hug. "Holy shit, Cas. I did it again. I actually did it." He spoke. His body was shaking slightly from shock, happiness, and adrenaline.

Castiel smiled and wrapped his arms around Dean, letting his happiness flow into the hug. He rested his head next to Dean's ear so only he could hear. "I'm proud of you, Dean. I knew you had it in you. Now it's just not a legend in the prison yard, haha. I give myself credit for crossing my fingers and holding my breath, but you did all the work."

"Thank you, Cas." He spoke softly into his ear. "Do you mind if I take you out to dinner tonight?" Dean asked, a smile spreading on his face as he spoke. They hadn't the chance to really do anything together because of Dean practicing every day until he practically collapsed on the floor.

The ex-officer smiled and nodded, "I would enjoy that very much. For future reference, I never want you to feel bad if you're out practicing so much. I'm not sad or angry, I'm happy that you're doing what you want and I'm very patient, as you know." He pulled back from Dean and chuckled. "Maybe you should wash the sweat off before we go to dinner."

Dean smiled. "Yeah, I probably should." He spoke and led them to the car, and they drove home. Dean took a quick shower when he got there and dressed nicely after it. He went to the living room and sat down on the couch, waiting for Castiel.

Castiel was debating about what he should wear. He wanted to dress nicely for Dean. He made up his mind with a black collared shirt, black pants, dark brown shoes, a dark blue tie, and a beige trench coat to cover up with in case it would rain. Taking a mental breath and stepping out to where Dean was, he asked, "How do I look? Is this too much?"

Dean looked up when he heard Castiel's voice, and looked him over, an eyebrow raised. "That's good. You chose well." He evaluated standing. Dean was wearing a white shirt with a dark green tie, and a black suit coat over that, dark grey pants, and black shoes. His hair was combed down, with a raise at the front. "How do I look?" He questioned.

The ex-police officer smiled, looking at how nicely Dean dressed. "I think you look very handsome in your outfit. But I always think that about you, even if you're sweaty from the game." He carefully extended an arm to Dean, "Shall we go to dinner?"

Chuckling softly, Dean stepped forward and interlocked their hands, leading them both out to his Impala. "You're lucky, Cas. No one besides me has ever ridden in this car." He said, smiling, and opening the door for him. He quickly moved to the drivers side when Castiel had gotten in and got in, starting the car up and beginning to drive. 'Enter Sandman' came onto the radio, and Dean turned it up.

Castiel laughed softly, "I feel fortunate, actually. Lucky about a lot of things." He sang along with Dean in the car happily along with the song. He was a fan of Metallica and lots of other different music. This song reminded him of when he found Dean playing air guitar and drums in his cell.

Dean's favorite part of the song was the last chorus, and he practically yelled it out. When the song ended, he looked over at Castiel with a smile. Then, they arrived at the place Dean had intended, and it was quite fancy. "Don't worry, I'm paying for this." He said as he got out of the car.

Before Cas could object to Dean paying for the meal, he closed his mouth because Dean made his position very clear. It was trivial to argue over something simple, so he decided he would pay next time. "Next time, I'm paying for us. No objections." He flashed a smile and walked over to accompany him.

"Oh, alright." He spoke, and quietly chuckled to himself as he walked up the steps and into the place. A man came by and eyed Dean for a few seconds, but took them to a booth. Dean thanked him as he sat down and they got two menus. "...the sensation in basketball today was brought on by a rookie who has become a legend." The television was on a news channel, and Dean looked up at it. "Dean Winchester, a rookie of basketball, made the first full-court shot ever recorded in history."

Cas' blue eyes flicked to the tv. "I have a feeling that will be on the sports channels for a while. You think any world record representatives are going to knock at our door?" His attention turned back down to the menu, trying to decide what to eat for dinner.

"I guarantee it. It's going to happen a different day, though." He spoke, looking back down at the menu. "But let's forget about epic world record-breaking shots, hm? This-"he put a hand over Castiel's. "Is about you and me, and nothing else." Dean declared, looking at Castiel with a fond look.

The blue-eyed man allowed blush to come across his cheeks, "Haha, aren't you a charmer? And of course, this is a night all about the two of us together." Some of the things on the menu Castiel had never even heard of. His eyes landed on a beautiful cut piece of steak, so he decided on that. His eyes went back to Dean, "Do you know what you are getting off this creative menu?"

Dean looked over the menu again. "I'll get a steak and salad, I suppose." He decided. He'd liked steak a lot when he was a kid. He looked up at Castiel with a smile. "What are you getting?" He asked, taking a sip of his drink he'd gotten, a wheat beer.

"Great minds think alike. I was also getting a steak and salad. I do enjoy the bread baskets they give you after they take your order. I've not had steak in a while, it sounded very appetizing," he returned the smile back. Cas took a sip of iced water, he was never much of a beer or wine drinker.

"I never really went to any restaurants in my life. If I did, it was usually not like this." He spoke.

A waiter came by to take their order, and he glanced at Dean. "Hey-oh my god! You're Dean Winchester, aren't you?"

Dean nodded, feeling the heat rise to his cheeks.

"I-it's an honor to meet you, sir." The man said. Dean nodded again. The man took their orders and walked away, a spring in his step. Dean looked at Castiel with a look that said, 'please help me, I think I'm dying.'

The darker haired man chuckled at Dean's blush out of embarrassment and attention he wasn't used to. "You look cute when you blush. Don't worry, I'm sure you'll eventually get used to it. I can always take your mind off of the unwanted attention. We could always politely but aggressively say to give us space if we need to. I could use my serious voice again." He smiled, remembering how much Dean stuttered when he used that tone.

Dean blushed more after Castiel finished speaking. "S-stop making me so f-flustered, Cas." He said, trying to maintain a serious tone but failing. He locked gazes with the ex-police officer, his own showing fake irritation but also love. The blush on his face faded a little, but not all the way.

Cas was pleased with himself and smiled, knowing Dean was trying his best. He squeezed his hand that he was still holding, "Don't worry, I won't make you flustered out in public so much. I know that just makes it worse blushing wise. People might get the wrong idea and think something else was said."

He nodded. "Agreed." He spoke, and gave a small smile to him. Dean looked around with a collective sigh, his gaze landing on Castiel for a second. There was silence between them as Dean looked deeply into his eyes. "I'm lucky to have such a loyal man like you at my side, you know that?" He spoke softly, his tone serious.

The ex-officer scratched the back of his head, "Well, thank you, Dean," he smiled brightly. "I could say the same to you, you know? I mean, I'd do just about anything for you. I'd even donate an organ, but I would hope that never happens, of course." It was nice to hear Dean say those words even though Cas never felt neglected in any way. It made his heart feel warm.

Dean smiled warmly at him. "I know you'd do anything for me. I feel the exact same. I'd go to Hell and back for you, go to the ends of the earth." He spoke, his smile growing a little wider. Dean felt better hearing those words, even though he knew Castiel truly loved him. He loved him too, very much.

"If we are having a friendly competition, then I would fall from Heaven just to protect you," Cas chuckled. It would probably hurt like Hell falling from the sky, but if it needed to be done than he would definitely do it if it meant keeping Dean out of harm's way.

"I would go to Hell to ensure your safety." Dean countered. If he went to Hell, it would probably just be pure torture, but he was willing to do it if it's meant Castiel would be safe and sound. He'd endure a lifetime of pain just to keep him from even getting a scratch.

Cas raised an eyebrow, "Hmm, then I would get killed and resurrected multiple times, as many as it took to save you from a killing blow. Even if the death was slow and drawn out for days on end." He silently smirked, thinking if people could hear what they were saying right now, they'd most likely think they were crazy.

Dean narrowed his eyes. "Alright. Then I would kill myself to make sure you didn't die, and I would relive it over and over even if I had to do it for eternity without hesitating." He challenged back. How long this was to go on for was unpredictable, but that didn't even cross his mind at the moment.

The ex-officer only had one more on the top of his head, "I would raise you from the depths of Hell and rebuild your damaged soul from scratch until every little part of you was perfectly aligned once again. I don't care how long it would take, but I'd certainly do it." Now he was out of ideas for the night, and he smiled, letting Dean knew he would win this one.

He thought and thought hard. But he gave up, he couldn't counter that. "Dammit, Cas." He muttered, defeat slamming into him like a basketball. He smiled at Castiel to let him know he wasn't mad or anything close to that. The waiter who had taken their order came back with their food, placing it on the table and walking away. Dean received his food and put it in front of himself, gently letting go of Castiel's hand.

Castiel realized he had won their friendly competition and smiled as they got their food, "Well we are both stubborn, but I've won this round. I didn't have any more after that one." He reached over and grabbed his water glass, and raised it to Dean, "To us?"

Dean looked at the glass of water before picking up his beer bottle and clinking the glass to Castiel's. "To us." He confirmed, smiling as he downed the last of the beer and set it on the table. "I'm not allowed to drink alcohol a day before a game, but I don't have a game tomorrow." He spoke, shrugging as he picked up his silverware and began to eat.

He nodded his head like that made perfect sense. "You've never seen me indulge in those types of drinks. That's because I dub myself as a lightweight. Found that out when I turned twenty-one, haha." He smiled at the stupid memory. Castiel picked up his fork and knife and began cutting his steak.

Dean chuckled softly at Castiel's comment. They ate, for the most part, in silence, and when they were finished, Dean paid and they were out once again. Upon reaching the car, Dean looked up at Cas. "So, are we going home, or do you have somewhere you want to take me?" He asked, raising his eyebrows. He was asking just in case Cas did have a place in mind where they could go together.

He thought for a moment and decided they should go ahead and visit this place before heading back home. "Well I wanted to take you to the square with the big fountain at some point. It's supposed to be really quiet and calm this time of day."

He nodded. "Okay." Then he took a deep breath. "Do you want to drive? I most likely have no idea where that is. I should get to know this city better if I'm going to be a successful basketball player." Dean concluded, chuckling softly at his own joke. He tapped the hood of his car.

Cas smiled and nodded, "Yeah, I'll take us there, you can ride shotgun this time." He slipped himself into the driver's seat and started the ignition once Dean got in comfortably with his seatbelt on.

Dean looked out the window, taking in the sights of the city before they got moving. He turned on the radio and was surprised to hear another Metallica song playing. "Now, that's what I call quality." He spoke with a smirk as he upped the volume a bit. Just like back in his cell, he started playing air drums, and it was much more accurate this time.

The ex-officer smiled at Dean's enthusiasm. He enjoyed watching him play air guitar and drums during his favorite music. It was very entertaining. Cas drove at a steady pace to their location, and once they arrived, he parked the car on the side of the road and hopped out.

When they'd reached their destination, Dean got out with Castiel, looking around. The sun was setting, casting a warm orange-pink glow on everything, and there was a warm breeze that calmed him and took away his adrenaline. They were the only two there. Dean closed his eyes and breathed deeply, enjoying the tranquil scene.

"Peaceful, right? I had hoped no one would be here to disturb us. It looks even better with the nice sunset in the background shining over every object." Castiel walked up to the fountain and sat on the bench in front of it, positioning himself, so he was comfortable.

Dean had to admit it was pretty peaceful. He walked forward, opening his eyes, and sat down next to Castiel, but with a foot of separation to give him personal space. "Yeah, it is pretty nice here. I'd almost fall asleep, it's so quiet." He replied, looking around once more.

Castiel smiled and reached over to wrap an arm around Dean, "I wouldn't stop you if you felt like taking a nap here. I've found that I enjoy watching you sleep peacefully." He looked up at the beautiful sky as it was an explosion of colors above the two men.

"I'm not tired, Cas." He spoke, chuckling softly as he, in return, wrapped an arm around Castiel, pulling him closer. "I find it interesting that you enjoy watching me sleep. I don't think I've ever seen you sleep before." He added. Dean didn't mind that of all things to talk about, they were talking about sleep.

"Well since I can really sleep now, maybe you'll get the luxury of watching me," he laughed softly. "I wasn't truly sleeping back in the ward since I still had to be aware of my surroundings. I enjoy watching you because it makes myself feel at peace if that makes sense. I was worried you might think it was weird...Oh, thank you for dinner, Dean." He relaxed his head on Dean's shoulder.

"Yeah, I can tell you had to be aware of your surroundings back there. Definitely seems like the type of place where someone finds a knife by accident and then stabs you before you can even blink. So I see why that not sleeping fully is crucial to surviving there. And you're welcome." Dean replied, looking at Castiel with a fond look in his eyes.

"Ha, I could tell you lots of stories about when I first started out as a prison guard, but I'd have you listening all night long." He shifted his head a bit to get more relaxed in his neck muscles. "How do you feel about how we are doing so far?"

Dean chuckled softly at Castiel's reply but tilted his head at the question given to him. He gave it a few moments of thought. "Well, I think we're doing all right." He admitted, looking up at the sky, which was a euphoria of colors. He agreed with his own statement against his will. "How do you feel about it?"

"I feel we are doing very good since we ran off together. We took a risk, and I think it paid off really well. I feel life will be more enjoyable for us since we aren't separated by regulations and jail bars." He commented as he stretched his legs a bit.

Dean nodded in agreement. "I agree with you on that. Also, have you thought about getting a job? You should get a job, Cas." He stated, looking at Castiel once again. He spoke after a few moments. Although, maybe because of the income that Dean got because of basketball, perhaps neither of them needed a job.

Castiel bobbed his head back and forth, debating in his mind, "I was thinking about getting at least a part-time job just so if you're training, I won't be at the house all day. I plan on stopping by on lunch breaks to drop some food off for you, though." He smiled. "I don't think it would be good to do anything police-related since I did fake my death. I was thinking about maybe working at a shooting range or teaching self-defense. What do you think suits me best? I can't decide." He gently played with Dean's fingers.

"I think you should teach self-defense." Dean decided after a few moments of critical thinking. Castiel was fast, which aided in many things during a fight. So it would be fair enough if he taught self-defense. "Although you have to take me to the shooting range. I can't shoot worth shit." Dean chuckled.

The ex-officer laughed, "Haha, I will do that. I'll teach you how to shoot a gun properly, so you don't hurt yourself. You'll have to wear headphones for ear protection from the sound, but I'll show you how to aim and hold the gun before you put them on. I'd like to do that with you, and I'll head down to the self-defense building tomorrow at some point to inquire about a part-time position." He nuzzled Dean's shoulder. "Should we head back home where we have a roof over our heads?"

"It'd be okay if I knew how to shoot a gun. It wouldn't be okay if I didn't know how in a situation where I have to defend myself using one.

Most likely, I'd end up shooting myself on accident." He chuckled. "Yeah, I think we should," Dean spoke, standing up and helping Castiel to his feet. "Do you want to drive again or no?" He asked, approaching his car slowly.

Castiel took his hand and gave him a peck on his nose, "Hm, I'll let you drive us back, I know how much you love your car. And I agree, I wouldn't want you to shoot yourself by accident." He playfully ruffled Dean's hair while laughing softly.

Dean smiled gently and opened the door for Castiel, closing it behind him and getting in on the driver's side and closing his own door after himself. He started the ignition once Castiel had gotten his seatbelt on, and got onto the road. Dean drove at a steady pace, paying attention to his surroundings like anyone would when driving.

The blue-eyed man gazed out the window and watched the trees and cars pass by. Even if it was late, it was still a magnificent view with the sun starting to set. Cas appreciated the small things as any person should be able to do.

Dean looked over to Castiel for a few seconds and just had to smile. He looked so tranquil, looking out the window and watching everything pass by. He turned his attention back to the road, the smile still plastered on his face. Dean found that he, too, enjoyed the small things.

Castiel had a good intuition and felt those green eyes gaze over at him and noticed Dean had looked in his direction. He smiled, "Were you admiring me, Dean? Or maybe you just wanted to look out the passenger window?" He joked lightly. "Either way, I definitely don't mind."

He giggled. "Yeah, I might've been admiring you from over here," Dean replied, smirking. "I did have to look out the passenger window, though, so I could cross an intersection safely." He spoke, raising an eyebrow as he glanced in the rearview mirror. "Good to know you don't mind me looking at you." He spoke again, with a lazy tone, smirking a little more.

A blush came across Castiel's cheeks, "Crossing the intersection is good, but I have a feeling you steal looks more so than I realize. And nope, I don't mind at all as long I can steal looks at you whenever I want." He smiled and turned his head to face Dean before looking out in front of him again.

He chuckled softly and continued to drive, eventually rolling down the windows a little. When they came to the road that led to their house, Dean instead turned onto a different one, a small smile on his face. The sun was nearly set, and that was his intention for time. He continued to drive up the different road, and ahead hills were stretching up to meet the sky halfway. That was where he was driving.

Castiel noticed Dean make a different turn and tilted his head to the side, "Dean, are we going somewhere else? Is it a surprise?" He noticed they were driving up the hill. "For some reason, I feel like we are going to drive right off the edge of a cliff." Cas was only half-joking at that statement.

"It is a surprise." He spoke, turning his head to smirk at Castiel before looking back at the road. "I'm a good driver. We won't go off a cliff." Dean reassured. He parked at the top of the hill, an excellent sized, mostly flat piece of land. The sun had set, casting darkness over everything. Dean turned off the ignition and took out the keys, getting out.

Castiel saw Dean getting out the car and followed him, wondering what they were doing. He took a moment to gaze out and take in the natural beauty of everything. "This view is definitely something. It'd be perfect on one of those calendars."

Dean took Castiel's hand and led him to a spot a few feet away from the edge of the cliff. As he looked ahead, the lights from the city below began to turn on, one by one. The silence, breeze, and slight darkness made a peaceful scene. Dean and known about this place for a while.

Cas smiled as Dean held his hand and looked out to the horizon. "How did you know about this place, and I didn't? Well, I guess I've never driven up a lot of hills, so there's that to consider." He closed his eyes a bit and enjoyed the slight, cool breeze against his face.

"Well, I did some research." He spoke, smiling softly. "I decided here would be best for a night viewing, just because," Dean added after thinking for a moment. He didn't mind the cool breeze. It gave him a calm mood and demeanor. He also liked the fact that Castiel was here with him. Dean wouldn't have it any other way than this.

The blue-eyed man sat down on the grass below them, still holding Dean's hand. He opened his eyes and looked up at Dean. "How thoughtful, haha. Guess I'll have to step up my game in finding places for us to do together. This is very wonderful. I've always been a night person and enjoy the moonlight more. There's something mysterious yet very soothing about it." He patted next to him with his other hand. "Come sit, it's a nice view down here as well."

Dean glanced down at Castiel before sitting down beside him, leaving a few inches between them but still holding his hand. He looked out at the darkened landscape, mostly flat but disturbed by the city below and their cliff. The sky was a deep, dark blue, and there was no moon, but there were stars above that twinkled and flickered like fire. It was beautiful.

Cas stayed quiet for a few minutes enjoying the company of Dean and the serenity of the landscape. "We should find stars that are easy to spot and name them after each other. If we were ever far away for work, we could find the star and think of each other if we weren't able to text or call." His eyes looked up into the sky and found a bright one, pointing at it to show Dean, "There. That'll be mine for you."

Dean looked up, into the sky after Castiel's suggestion. He searched the sky, looking for the one that spoke out to him and reminded him of Cas. He searched for a good five or eight minutes and found one. It was the brightest shining star he'd ever seen, and he knew it wasn't the North Star because it had a slight tint of blue to its glow. Dean smiled and lifted his arm, pointing at it to show Castiel. "That," he breathed, "is mine for you."

Cas looked up and found the star Dean found for him. He smiled brightly, feeling happy about his choice. "That looks amazing. If yours glowed a color, I think it'd be more orange because you have a free spirit. I chose that one because it's a really bright star. All the others around it are dimmer, but you stand out." He explained why he chose Dean's star.

Dean smiled brighter than he had in a while. "That's a good choice and explanation, Cas." He declared, nodding in approval. He was happy with Castiel's choice for him, and he knew Castiel was delighted with Dean's decision for him. "I chose this one for you, because it shines brightly in the night sky, like your smile. And the blue in it reminds me of your eyes that I can get lost in so very easily, but at the same time feel protected." He explained to Cas why he'd chosen that one for him.

Blush once again formed on Cas' cheeks. He grinned, feeling joyful about Dean's reasoning picking out his star. He turned his head to him, "You know, whenever I look in your eyes, I feel like I'm getting lost in a thick evergreen forest. When you are passionate or angry, they seem to flare up into a blazing jade green. Your eyes are already various shades of green, and I love how they sparkle when I look into them. I remember when we first made eye contact, my heart did skip a few beats." He shyly admitted to Dean, referring to when they were back in prison.

The ex-prisoner blushed heavily, remembering that day too. "Mine did too." He admitted quietly. Dean lifted a hand and gently cupped Castiel's cheek with it, looking into his beautiful blue eyes. He tilted his head forward to rest his forehead upon Cas', not breaking their gaze. "Oh, Cas..." he whispered, passion tingling in every inch of his body, surfacing in his voice and his gaze. "I don't know if it's physically possible for me to love you more than I already do..."

Castiel noticed the change in Dean's voice as he had never heard his tone shift this way before. His face immediately got more hot hearing it. "D-Dean, you're making my face go on f-fire...Um, I don't think its physically possible for m-me either." He stuttered while not breaking their locked gaze to each other.

"It wasn't my goal to make you stutter," Dean said gently. "But, I suppose I know what makes you stutter now." He had that to his advantage, he could take a shot at Cas for every time he'd made him stutter. Dean chuckled mischievously. "So I can get you back now for every time you did that to me. Like a little never-ending competition, hm?" He smirked at Cas. He didn't break their gaze either.

The ex-officer knew now Dean was going to do that whenever he thought the opportunity was perfect. Nothing had made him stutter, until now. He sighed and smiled, "A never-ending friendly competition it is then. One where we both end up winning with our cheeks being flushed..." He nuzzled their noses together in an Eskimo kiss. "Are we having a staring contest now as well?"

"I haven't blinked yet," he said heftily. "So, I would suppose so." Dean could not feel his eyes stinging yet, as he'd done many staring contests as a child and won many of them. He was known to not blink for a full three to five minutes if he put his mind to it. Silence reverberated between them as they continued their little staring contest, Dean not even close to needing to blink yet.

Castiel stared into Dean's eyes. They were somewhat hypnotizing since he had not blinked as well. Maybe if he focused on Dean's pupils, he wouldn't need to squint. Though, Cas did have some dry eye spells this time of year. And it just happened to be during their first staring contest. If he had lost, it was because his eyeballs started to burn a little.

Dean had no idea how many minutes had passed, but he assumed it had been about one and a half since this contest had started. He didn't care how much time passed, nor did he care that he won or lost. He just wanted to see Castiel's potential in a staring contest like this one, to see if he gave up quickly on things like this. It was an analysis process for Dean. The more he found out about Castiel, the better he got to know him.

Cas' blue eyes were slowly starting to burn from being dry. He smiled and blinked a few times, pulling slightly away from Dean's face. Grabbing an eyedropper from his pocket, he quickly put a few in each eye. "Forgot to mention my eyes can get dry this time of year, haha. But don't worry, I enjoyed our little stare down." He laughed softly.

His forest green eyes blinked quizzically when Castiel pulled out eye drops and put a few in each of his eyes. But he nodded at his explanation. "My brother used to have the same thing with him." He chuckled lightly at the memories he had during those times. Dean smiled a little at his victory, though. He looked back up at the sky for a second, and took out his phone, checking the time. Nine thirty, it read. The dirty blonde raised an eyebrow. It certainly didn't seem like that amount of time had passed, but it certainly had without them knowing it. That was alright, though. He put his phone back in his pocket.

After placing the dropper back in his pocket, he saw Dean had taken out his phone, "Should we head back, so it's not too late? We could have a sleepover in your car on this hill." Cas joked. That could be an idea, though, to do sometime. It looked there was enough room for both of them to fit in the backseats. A small yawn escaped his mouth as he looked back at the stars.

Dean chuckled softly and stood. He helped Castiel up too. "Come on, we should get back home. I've got a training session tomorrow, and you've got to see to getting that job." He spoke, leading Castiel to the car, helping him in, and getting in on his side. He started the ignition and started to drive back towards the city, towards home. He kept the radio off because it looked as if Castiel could fall asleep right there in the passenger's seat, which was okay with Dean. They wouldn't be home until half an hour anyway.

The darker haired man did end up drifting off into a small nap as Dean was driving. Even if Dean turned the radio on, it wouldn't have bothered him unless it was blasting. He slightly curled up in the passenger's seat and didn't dream of anything since he wasn't in a deep enough sleep yet. The smooth road was calming, though.

As he drove, Dean noticed he was getting quite sleepy as well. He stifled a yawn, stealing a quick look at Castiel before smiling to himself and looking back at the road ahead. He thought Cas looked adorable when he slept, but of course, he couldn't tell him now. Maybe he would in the morning.

When they arrived at the house, Dean parked the car. He carefully held Castiel bridal style in his arms as he got them both into the house and to the bedroom, setting Cas down on the bed and pulling the covers over him. He made sure the doors were locked, and all the lights were off before slipping under the covers with Cas, closing his eyes and attempting to sleep.

During Castiels slumber, he noticed he was on something more soft and plush. He allowed his body to fully relax, and he mumbled while snuggling under the blankets getting comfortable. He was facing Dean, in a slightly curled up position with his head resting comfortably on his pillow. He smiled softly in his sleep as he started dreaming random things.

A few minutes passed, and Cas' hand had found it's way to Dean's and softly squeezed it in his sleep. Almost as if it was a reflexive action that he possessed.

Dean slept stretched out on the bed, his head resting on his hand on his pillow, facing Castiel, already falling into a deep sleep. But he did feel Cas' hand squeeze his. Lazily, the former prisoner opened his right eye and looked at him for a few seconds. A small smile came about on his facial features, and he closed his eye, squeezing Cas' hand back gently before falling asleep. He was lucky if he dreamt about anything, dreaming for him was rare.

Cas' mind throughout the night was jumping from different things and never sticking to one dream, but at least they were decent dreams and not nightmares. There were some of him back in his police academy days, memories of him and Dean in prison, and one of him teaching Dean how to shoot a gun accurately. He had felt a light squeeze against his hand and felt warmth spread throughout his body from it. The soothing warmth only made Castiel go into a more profound, more restful slumber.

He didn't expect to do what he did that night. Dean had never sleepwalked before, and he never intended to. But this night was different. Unaware that he was sleepwalking, Dean got up and made his way down the hallway-although he didn't get very far. Sighing gently, the sleepwalking Dean laid down on the floor and fell back into the sleep he should be in. His mind didn't realize that his body wasn't where he was supposed to be. Castiel would probably not notice until morning with the state he was in.


	8. Chapter 8

Hours had passed, and Castiel slowly woke himself up with the morning sunrise hitting his face. He yawned and rubbed his eyes, feeling very well rested. When his vision regained itself, he noticed Dean was not beside him. Maybe he was up and making food. Cas noticed that Dean was still in his clothes from last night. That only meant that Dean carried him to the bed this way if he had fallen asleep in the car ride. A smile broke out on his face thinking about it.

The ex-officer stood up and stretched his body before walking out of the room and saw Dean lying on the floor motionless. His heart sank as he quickly walked over. A deep breath escaped his chest when he realized Dean was just asleep. Did Dean sleepwalk last night? He gently shook him. "Dean? You can't sleep on the floor. It's bad for your back."

Dean came to consciousness with someone shaking him awake. He was on something firm and cold. Opening his eyes and sitting up, he saw that he was on the floor instead of in the bed he remembered getting into last night. He had sleepwalked. "Apparently, my body took a little trip last night, and it ended here." He spoke, chuckling softly at the idea.

Cas smiled and helped Dean stand up by bracing him against his own weight. "I was worried. When I first saw you, I thought you might have slipped and hit your head. But nope, you were just sleepwalking. I cant imagine how comfortable the floor was for you."

"I didn't really feel the floor if that makes sense. So I really had no clue what happened. I thought I was still curled up in bed with you." Dean replied, reaching up a hand to rub his better eye gently. "I most likely wouldn't have noticed I was on the floor until I woke up in my own time. Speaking of time, what time is it?" He asked, executing a small yawn.

"Um...about nine in the morning." He answered as he took a quick look at his watch he still had on. That was sleeping in for Castiel. He was an early riser even if he didn't sleep well. It felt nice to be able to sleep in for once now that he took some time to think about it.

"Alright, then." He replied, sitting down on the couch. Grabbing the remote, he turned on the television, and it was a sports news site. They were talking about Dean and his full-court shot. "Should've known." He muttered and turned the television back off. Sighing, he leaned back on the couch, closing his eyes. He wasn't going to sleep, just running thoughts through his head.

Cas sat down on the couch next to Dean, giving them a little space between them. He saw the basketball showcase on tv and figured Dean would eventually get tired of seeing it everywhere. He turned his head towards him, "How about I make us breakfast? Pancakes?"

Dean lifted his head up a few inches. "Go ahead." He said solemnly, and let his head back down. It was one of those days that he didn't want to do anything, just sit on the couch and do absolutely nothing. Another sigh escaped his lips as he remembered he had a training session today.

As he got out the pancake mix and turned on the skillet to heat up, he heard a soft sigh breathe out Dean's lips. "You wish to relax, but remembered that you had training? I was going to remind you after we ate. I should go to the self-defense building while you're there."

Dean nodded. "I suppose we all have to do things we don't want to do sometimes." He reasoned, standing up and walking to the kitchen. He leaned on the counter and watched Castiel cook breakfast, watching his every move with interest. He'd used to watch his mother make breakfast, so this was perfectly normal. The blonde kept to himself that he was, truthfully, admiring the darker haired male while watching him.

As Castiel mixed the batter up, he made sure the skillet was just hot enough to cook but not burn the pancakes. Satisfied with the mixture, he poured some into the pan and let it cook. His eyes glanced up when he noticed Dean watching, "Are you enjoying watching my chef skills?" He smiled brightly.

Dean smiled. "Maybe, maybe not." He replied coolly. He tilted his head to one side slightly, ignoring the disturbing fact that he had to do that to see proportionally. "Hey Cas?" he spoke, trying to get his attention.

The ex-officer took a finished pancake off the skillet and poured another one on before turning his head towards the green-eyed man. "Yes, Dean?"

He glanced at the ground for a few seconds before answering. "I love you." He spoke, a meaningful tone in his voice. Honesty alighted Dean's eyes, making them sparkle like his smile. The ex-prisoner lifted a hand to scratch the back of his neck, wondering if he'd said that at the wrong time.

Castiel grinned, and a small wave of blush appeared on his cheeks. "I love you too, I always will." He reached over the counter and pulled Dean in for a peck on the lips, so he didn't end up burning the pancakes he flipped afterward. "Sorry, didn't want to burn breakfast, haha."

"Ah, don't worry. I don't think either of us wants a burnt breakfast. And I know you'll always love me. I'll always love you too." He said, staying where he was. Dean watched Castiel's movements once again. "Would you mind if I bought a guitar and drum set and all that and used the big downstairs room for a studio? I thought that I could make my own songs and do covers of ones I know." He suggested. He'd been thinking about it for a while now.

The idea of Dean having a studio and hearing him play throughout the day made Castiel smile. He enjoyed music and loved Dean's singing voice. It flowed like honey through his ears. "Of course I don't mind, does this mean I get to have a front-row seat to your concert downstairs too? I'm getting spoiled with your games and now music hobby."

Dean chuckled softly. "Of course you do." After a moment, he added, "Spoiled? Haha, you're so funny, Cas." He chuckled again. Looking at the oven watch, it read nine thirty-seven. The training session was at eleven. There was more than enough time. Dean lifted his left hand and flicked his wrist forward as if shooting a basketball.

Cas smiled as he made two plates of pancakes for them. He made sure to pick the fluffiest ones he made for both of them. Grabbing syrup and butter, he sat them down on the counter and turned off the stove, so there was no accidental house fire. "Breakfast is served. We have perfectly circled pancakes with butter and syrup at your disposal." He slightly bowed before sitting next to Dean.

He raised an eyebrow and put some butter on his pancakes, followed by some syrup. Dean cut a triangle from his stack of pancakes and put it in his mouth, chewing slowly. His gaze flicked this way and that as the delightful flavors danced upon his tongue. He looked like he'd just witnessed the most significant event in history firsthand.

The ex-officer put butter and syrup on his pancakes and looked over at Dean before cutting and taking a bite of his own stack. "You look incredibly happy with my pancakes. Only if I could save that expression, you have on your face right now." He laughed.

Dean swallowed and set his fork down, slapping his hands on his thighs. "Cas, this is amazing!" He exclaimed, looking at him. A smile spread upon his face. "This is the best meal someone's made for me since I was like, nineteen!" He added. Dean looked like an overly excited child about to go on a rollercoaster.

Castiel couldn't help but laugh at Dean's uncontained excitement over his breakfast. It was so pure and joyful, filling his own heart with warmth and happiness. "I really don't think how adorable you're acting right now over some pancakes." He smiled. "But thank you, that's a compliment since I'm not a master chef."

"It's not a problem." He spoke, smiling once more and cutting up another bite and continuing to eat. They ate in silence, and when Dean was finished, he stood up and put his stuff in the sink. He'd deal with it later when he came back from training. He plopped back down on the couch with an appreciative groan, letting his head fall back onto the couch cushions and looking up to the ceiling. "That was amazing, thanks, Cas."

Cas left his seat and set his plate on top of Dean's in the sink, running some water over to wash some of the syrup off. He grinned and walked over to sit on the couch with him. "Thanks, Dean. I want to try some of your breakfast sometimes too." He grabbed his phone out of his pocket and double-checked the coordinates for the martial arts building he planned on trying to get a part-time job.

Dean hummed to himself as he closed his eyes after a few moments, enjoying the warm feeling he had thrilling through him. He looked content and tranquil right there on the couch, but he felt like he was missing something. His mind was hazy, so Dean didn't really look in on what it might be. Although he was guessing it was Cas, he wanted him sitting beside him, but Dean knew he was busy looking at something right now, so he was silent.

Making a mental note of the coordinates by scanning over it a few times, he was confident and put his phone back on the table. His blue eyes looked over at Dean. He looked so comfy laying there. A smirk appeared on his lips, and he gently put his head near Dean's ear. "Hello, Dean."

Dean's eyes snapped open, and a visible shiver shot through him. He blushed furiously. "H-hey Cas... wasn't expecting t-that..." he admitted, stuttering. He always had to do that at the exact times when Dean never expected it for a second. But he was good at it, Dean had to admit that to himself.

Castiel smiled that he was successful at making Dean stutter again since that was his goal. "I was right in thinking I could get a reaction out of you. I feel that's a win for me." He joked teasingly. "I couldn't resist seeing your face go red."

Dean kept his gaze on the ceiling out of instinct. "Damn, Cas, y-you really know how to take a hit at me. You know me b-better than I thought you did." He chuckled softly, still not looking at Cas as he spoke. His face was still red, and his cheeks still hot, and he couldn't force it down. He bit his lower lip.

The ex-officer was in a playful mood now that he got a reaction out of Dean. He wondered how red he could make his blush go, without making him frustrated, of course. He swiftly moved his face in front of Dean's. "Hm? I do, do I?"

Castiel's face suddenly being in front of his surprised him, but he didn't let it show. Dean's blush stayed the same since Cas' attempt wasn't enough. But the stutter wore off. "Yeah, you do." He replied valiantly, looking into Castiel's eyes as he spoke. The blonde knew this had to be some kind of comical thing, but he didn't mind it.

His blue eyes looked into Dean's green ones, and he scratched that idea off. His blush was still there, but no stuttering. Cas didn't think a kiss would do the trick either, but he felt like kissing Dean, so he placed a soft kiss on his lips and closed his eyes.

He wasn't expecting Castiel to have kissed him, but that was okay too. Dean kissed him back, closing his eyes also, and returning the softness that Cas gave him. His hands were resting at his sides now, his muscles relaxed instead of tense like they usually were. It was moments like this one between them that Dean held close to heart.

After a few moments, he deepened the kiss and rested his forehead on Dean's. "I just wanted to give you good luck with your training." He smiled happily. Castiel knew he didn't need a reason to kiss Dean, but that was his reason for that kiss in particular. Honestly, he felt like he could kiss Dean all day long if given the opportunity. It was always a pleasant and relaxing feeling.

Dean nodded. "I certainly think that will be all the luck I need." He replied, his tone absolute. He glanced at the clock on the wall and saw it read ten-thirty. It took twenty minutes to get to the stadium to train. "Mm, I could stay here all day with you, but we both have places to go." He concluded, ghosting his fingers over Castiel's neck for a second.

The dark-haired man got goosebumps immediately when Dean lightly touched his neck. His face was now blushing a light pink. "U-uh, huh... I'll stop by and drop lunch off for you, then?" He stuttered a bit from Dean's actions. "T-tacos?"

"That sounds good. The whole team will be practicing. I'd suggest you go home after you drop off lunch, and I'll come home when we're done. It gets quite boring." Dean recommended, gently getting Castiel off him and standing, grabbing his coat from the nearby closet and his uniform and keys. "You know where the stadium is. Oh, and good luck with finding a part-time job as well." Dean spoke, winking at Castiel and walking down the stairs, going out of the house and to his car.

Cas smiled and nodded, calling out a little before he heard the door close, "I believe in you!" Walking over to the closet, he grabbed his favorite trenchcoat and quickly slipped on some jeans and a black t-shirt with some tennis shoes. He didn't need to be formal when going for this job interview. Grabbing his car keys, Cas locked up the house and began driving to the studio.

Dean got to the stadium just in time and changed quickly. He felt good when he stepped out onto the hardwood floor of the court he had played upon just the other day. The team acknowledged him as if he were a god, but he didn't mind it. He got used to it since he was known as a legend now and had to deal with it. They began training without hesitation.

Castiel managed to find his destination with little to no problem. There was a small wreck on the way, so traffic became slower, but a cop was moving people through. Parking up by the building, he turned off the ignition and hopped out of the car. Once he went inside, he was impressed by the quality of the martial arts studio: New flooring, punching bags, boxing dummies, and a rack of weapons. "Hi, I'm the one who signed up for a part-time job?" He asked the lady at the front desk who paged the owner of the place.

The practice was long and merciless, but to Dean, it was the key to his success. The key to making it to the playoffs. He and the team were practicing everything-from dribbling to shooting-and Dean was asked to demonstrate his form that he'd used for the full court shot the day before. Once in a little while, a worried thought about Cas would enter Dean's mind, but he would be forced to push it away.

A well-built man in his late thirties came out and introduced himself to Castiel as the owner and the one who will be evaluating him to see if he qualifies for a part-time job as a self-defense instructor. The two went out on the floor, and Cas met the man who he would be sparring with. No gear was needed as this match was mainly focused on technique.

He focused his mind as his opponent started throwing punches and kicks. The ex-officer dodged and parried them all with ease and was impressed by the amount of control his sparring partner had. His blue eyes eventually saw an opening, and Castiel grappled his partner to the ground, using his momentum against him. That was a move he learned in Judo. It's called the Uki Otoshi or Floating Drop.

As Dean was putting up a left-handed layup, he was called for traveling and had to start over with the process. This time, he got it right and didn't travel. Minutes on the clock ticked by, making everything seem slow and unprogressive. Dean was told to sit out for a while since he was skilled enough that he didn't need a lot of training. He was already sweaty and wheezing slightly, but he paid it no attention.

Having good sportsmanship, Cas helped his opponent off the ground from the move he just pulled. The owner, whose name was Brian, walked up to Castiel and gave a nod of approval. "Can I ask where you were trained in martial arts?"

He figured it was fine to be vague about his past since this area wouldn't have any records of him faking his death. "I was at the police academy. My commander taught me a lot of techniques on the side. Job didn't work out, so I'm looking for work here."

Brian stuck out his hand for a firm handshake. "Given your experience and tricks up your sleeve, I think you'll make a great addition here. Welcome to the dojo." He stuck his hand in his pocket for a part-time schedule. "Heres your schedule. It'll be a pleasure working with you."

Cas shook his hand firmly. "Thank you, sir. I won't let you down." With the schedule in hand, Castiel walked out to his car and searched for the nearest taco place for lunch. He could get tacos at Chipotle.

Dean picked out a piece of paper and a pencil and drew a rough sketch of the court, drawing some 'x's to mark the spots of players and lines to show where they'd go. Confident with his new technique, he stood up and addressed the team. "I thought of this. It's a bit more complicated and tactical than usual, but it'll help us in the long run." He promised. Dean then started to instruct everyone on the technique and ordered people to their places. The coach let him demonstrate his technique while everyone watched him with interest.

The Chipotle parking lot wasn't very full, so there wouldn't be a long line for lunch. Castiel was a person who was good with time management, and he wanted to make sure to get their lunch not too early, but not too late. He saw they were having a sale on the burrito bowls and tacos conveniently enough. Making up his mind, he ordered eight tacos, four for each of them for some leftovers. He decided to go with a variety of toppings but stayed away from the ones he was unsure if Dean liked for his portion. Ordering a bag of chips and guacamole and salsa for them, he checked out and headed back to his car with food in tow. It would take about twenty minutes to arrive at the stadium where Dean was practicing.

The demonstrations took about fifteen minutes, and Dean surveyed the team as they worked through the strategy, stopping it when it got confusing, or people were lost. He was patient with everyone, so he didn't get frustrated if someone didn't understand it. Taking the basketball in his hands, Dean started on the other side of the court. He began to demonstrate a display of concentration, agility, and strength, moving across the court as there were defenders all around him, but he was avoiding them.

Cas pulled up his car in the stadium parking lot, relatively close to the doors. He gathered up the food in the printed paper bags and entered the building. His ears picked up the sound of sneakers screeching on the court and the sound of basketballs being tossed about and dribbled. He stepped foot inside the stadium and took a seat on one of the front seats observing the action taking place. His face lit up when he saw Dean; he looked so blissful on the court.

He twisted and turned, ducked and jumped, slipping from side to side. His feet pounded across the court, and he kept dribbling, so he wasn't called for traveling because he'd have to start over, and he didn't want to do that. At last, he was near the hoop, but his back was to it. Dean jumped up, as if going to shoot the ball towards the other hoop, but he twisted his body in midair, so he faced the other one that was closer, and shot. His feet hit the floor when the basketball went into the hoop. Dean turned to face his team and coach, who was staring at him, shocked. "That is how you play the rules of physics, right there." Someone said.

Dean chuckled.

"Good job, Dean. Practice is ended, everyone. You can all go home." The coach said. Everyone walked off the courts to the locker rooms, but Dean turned towards the hoop he'd shot at. The basketball he'd used rolled to his feet, and he picked it up, looked at it, and exhaled softly, reveling in old highschool memories.

Since the practice was now over, Cas figured it was okay to walk on the court to give Dean his food. He waited a few moments as he watched him seeming to be lost in thought, staring at the basketball. The ex-officer remembered he used to play basketball in high school, so he was probably thinking about those times. He stood up and walked over, smiling. "Food is at your service."

Dean looked up, shooting the basketball at the sound of Castiel's voice. He heard the satisfying swish of the ball going through the net and smiled to himself. He took the bag of lunch from Castiel. "Thanks, Cas." He spoke, giving him a smile.

"They were having a sale on tacos and burrito bowls. I ended up getting four tacos for each of us with a variety of toppings." Castiel smiled back at Dean. "You're welcome, haha. How was practice?"

He nodded. "Practice was okay. I just demonstrated something they will probably never be able to do, haha." Dean shrugged, sitting down on the bleachers and taking out his food. Suddenly, a notion that something terrible had happened stabbed at him, and he took out his phone, checking the news. He looked at one of the articles, and the blood drained from his face.

Castiel sat next to Dean and was getting ready to start eating until he saw Dean's face. He looked terrible all of a sudden as he checked something on his phone. "Dean. What's wrong?"

Dean blinked, turning the phone off and putting it back in his bag. "N-nothing. Everything's fine." He said, avoiding Castiel's gaze. He was lying, but for a good reason. What he'd seen wasn't right, and he was afraid that telling Castiel would be a bad idea.

Cas knew Dean was lying due to his facial expressions and nervous stuttering. He didn't want to force it out of him since he thought he would act more like an interrogator than a boyfriend. He decided to ask just one question. "Be honest with this, at least. Should I be worried for you or myself?"

The ex-prisoner looked at him, a shadow passing over his eyes. "I don't need you to worry about anything." He declared, looking away. "Also, I was told that I should do night training, so I'll be gone for a couple of hours tonight. You alright with that?" Dean asked, his hard tone falling away and being replaced with a softer one.

Cas looked at Dean for a moment taking note of his reaction and nodded, showing a gentle smile. "Of course. I know you'll be busier some days than others with your training. Oh. Speaking of which. Here's my new part-time schedule." He took a folded piece of paper out of his pocket and gave it to Dean for him to look at. "It looks like I'll be working with people that are both newbies and advanced. I'll be going on Monday through Thursday afternoons for four hours each session, but I'll have breaks in between so we can have lunch together if you catch a break. Feel free to stop by if you want to see some cool moves." He joked.

He unfolded the piece of paper, looking at it. The basketball player decided it was best to memorize his own schedule for games and practices, as well as his boyfriend's plan for work. Most of his games were on Tuesdays and Saturdays, and most of his practices were on Wednesdays and Fridays. Their schedules were a bit chaotic, but it was enough to handle, or at least Dean thought so. He handed the plan back to Castiel, nodding.

The ex-officer looked at Dean's face while he put the schedule back into his pocket. "I know we'll make it work out nicely. Besides, I still get to come to all of your games, and we live together, so we have quality time." He chuckled a bit. "With your salary, I don't necessarily have to work, but I figured I shouldn't be at home all the time just waiting for you to be finished with training."

"Mhm." He nodded once more, turning to take out a taco from the paper bag, unwrapping it. Hunger pangs ate at him as he caught a whiff of the aroma. Dean began to eat, thinking as he did, his foot tapping on the hardwood floor of the court. His green gaze was fixed ahead, on the other side of the bleachers. Oddly, his expression was blank and emotionless, as if trying to hide what he was actually feeling.

Castiel took a bite of the tack in his hand he had been holding. It tasted perfect to him. Crunchy taco with some chicken and various toppings. He was content with the lunch choice they both had agreed upon. As he finished one taco, his eyes looked at Dean, who was staring rather than enjoying his meal like he did this morning. Something on his phone definitely put him into a different state of mind.

"Hows the taco? I hope it didn't get cold." He asked while trying to not start asking the obvious questions.

"It's not cold. Even if it had been, I would've still eaten it anyways. It's good." Dean replied. Although, he didn't get the full taste, as the article he'd seen on his phone was keeping him on edge. His senses had upped alertness, he was tense, and he felt like he wanted no people around him. His shoulders, which were up, wouldn't go down. He tried not to think about what could happen at this point while he finished his first taco and started on another one.

Another taco was grabbed by Castiel, and he began munching on it. He was debating in his mind whether to press the conversation to the elephant in the room. He decided he should stay neutral about it. Cas knew that if Dean reacted strongly to him, that it wasn't personal. He'd done the same with people in his past before when stuff was crawling on his back. In a calm voice, after he swallowed his bite, he stated. "I am always here if you need to talk. No matter how vague or detailed the conversation is. That's all I will say regarding what has changed your demeanor."

He finished his second taco as Castiel finished speaking, deciding his other two could be saved for later. Something in him snapped at Castiel's last sentence. "It's none of your business, so just drop it!" He suddenly snarled, standing up to face Castiel. There was an angry glint in his eyes, and his jaw was clenched, as were his fists. Dean's tone had been one of anger and irritation.

The ex-officer jumped a bit from Dean's reaction. He was afraid that would happen, it was a risky move on his part. Dean's fists were balled up out of frustration and building anger. He knew Dean would never lay his hands on him even if that look in his eyes was blowing up like fire. He knew if he reacted strongly in defense, it would only get worse and more heated between the two of them. Blue eyes met with him as he looked up and replied softly. "I apologize."

Dean opened his mouth to shoot back a stinging retort but was interrupted by his phone ringing. He picked it up and saw the number was unknown. Shrugging, he answered it. The stranger didn't even greet him but spoke a few sentences in which drained the color from Dean's face again. Then, whoever it was hung up, and Dean put his phone in his bag and began to pack his things. His pocket knife, for safety precautions, fell out and slid across the floor, and he picked it up and opened it. He nodded and put it in his pocket.

When Dean picked up his phone and answered it, Castiel's eyes watched his expression turned more grim than before. As he ended the call and gathered his things, seeing the pocketknife, Cas' senses flared up. The way Dean had looked approvingly at his trusty knife was all too revealing. He mentally cursed himself for going to his mindset when he was an officer, but it was always one that kept him alive. Dean was leaving, obviously concerned that somebody was watching him, and now Castiel felt as if he had to keep an eye on him just in case trouble would rear its ugly head.

He was going to do this now. Dean didn't care if it would take days, weeks, months, or years. This had to be taken care of. He cracked his neck and knuckles as if preparing for a fight and began to walk towards the back door. It was clear now that he wasn't going to use his car, he was going to walk to wherever he was going. That place certainly wasn't home, for Dean was going the opposite direction. "Don't follow me, Castiel Novak." He said over his shoulder, walking out of the stadium with a look of determination.

Cas clicked his tongue as Dean ordered him to not follow wherever he was going. This was a side of Dean Cas hadn't witnessed before, and it only made him more concerned. Honestly, he didn't care at this point if Dean found out he was being tracked by him. This was a matter of his safety with the way he was acting. A couple ideas popped into his head of who had called his personal cell phone. Dean could take care of himself, he wasn't a child, but it must have been Castiel's instincts to be protective towards him in his prison days that were flaring up. His mind transferred over to another dial, and he was now in police officer mode. He waited five minutes before heading out the door with naturally quiet footsteps.

Dean took out his phone and rechecked the article, memorizing the last seen place of his enemy. He didn't slow or quicken his pace, because he had no need to. He could take as much time as he needed, but Dean was unaware that he was already being followed. The ex-prisoner looked around on high alert but still determined as he walked. He was going towards the section of the city that was abandoned and very rarely seen by human eyes. That was suspicious and unusual for him, or well, for anyone really.

With a stern look in his blazing blue eyes and a mindset of tracking down Dean's whereabouts, Cas quickly took the gun that he had hidden in the back of his jeans, covered by his shirt. He made sure the safety was still on and that it was loaded. Being a prison sergeant had the perk of being able to have a conceal and carry license outside of prison. He said a silent prayer hoping he wouldn't have to use it. Closing his eyes, he thought for a minute. Where would he go if he was going to hide his whereabouts? Somewhere hidden and not well known. He made up his mind and slowly headed that direction on foot.

He kept walking, at a set pace so as not to arouse suspicion. Dean made himself appear calm and collected, not shaken but determined like he really was. Making his way to the section he'd been looking for, he stopped at a building near his destination. Since there'd be no one here except him and his enemy, Dean set his bag down and opened it, drawing out a few things. A couple of nights before, when Castiel had gone somewhere, he'd gotten himself a gun and a license and never told him about it. The reason was for self-defense. Now, he took it out, a Springfield 1911 pistol, and took out a magazine and began to load it up. He didn't know if he'd have to use it, but he knew the basics of holding and aiming a gun, and he hoped that was enough.

As Castiel walked down the street with a confident strut and look about him, he watched the area with his eyes. This was definitely a place where bad scenarios could happen. He had been in high crime areas before in his life, but this one took the cake with the heavy air surrounding him. His gut instinct told him something was about to go down, but he didn't know what. There was small worn down building with one of its walls missing. He decided it would be best to stand inside and listen carefully to his surroundings for anything suspicious.

"Well, well, well. What have we here?" A voice came from the nearby shadows, and Dean pushed his bag behind a beam, putting his gun in his holster and concealing it with his shirt pulled over it. He stood up and turned to the sound of the voice. His uncle, standing partially in the shadows, smirking at him, stepped out. "I didn't think you'd come." He spoke quietly.

Dean was silent.

"I planned this out perfectly, though. This will only be between you and me." His uncle's voice rang out among the deserted buildings.

Some moments had passed, and Castiel's keen ears picked up a voice. It was male, given the frequency. Very slowly, he stalked in the shadows in the direction where the sound came from. When he reached another broken building to take cover in, he peeked through a hole in the wall, and his blue eyes spotted someone that made his blood boil. Dean's uncle. He had escaped from prison. Now he understood why Dean acted the way he did back at the stadium.

"I'm alone. I know what you intended." Dean finally spoke.

"Good, you didn't bring that-"His uncle began.

"Don't insult him." Dean defended Castiel quietly.

His uncle smirked. Something no one knew about him what's that he was especially good at manipulating people. "Do you really think he loves you, Dean? He questioned you, didn't he? When you question your lover, that isn't loving. He's only taking advantage of you because of your money, Dean." His uncle said, his voice was persuasive.

Sadly, Dean wasn't able to block out the manipulation, and his expression changed. "He is?" He whispered in disbelief.

His uncle nodded slowly.

Dean suddenly was angry then, and stood his ground, pulling out his gun and aiming it at the man before him.

The ex-officer was listening intently as to what Dean's uncle was telling him. He definitely had a way with words. What a narcissistic bastard trying to make Dean believe he was only with him because of his success and salary. Castiel had dealt with a few people with a similar mind to the uncles. He even was assigned to one once, but the man ended up committing suicide in his cell. He instantly gripped his gun when Dean pulled his own out of his shorts he was wearing. Dean must've gone out and bought it in secret for self-defense. All he could do was hope Dean was going to do anything rash because that would immediately put him at a disadvantage here.

"Woah there." His uncle spoke, holding up his hands. "I can help you take his life away, in exchange for me being alive." He offered.

Dean shook his head, tears at the edge of his vision. "Shut the hell up!" He said his voice breaking. He'd been convinced that Cas didn't love him, anyone could tell. "I can do that myself, thank you very much." He snarled. "You're a different problem."

His uncle held his hands up higher. "Wait-"He never finished his sentence, because the sound of a gunshot echoed through the air. No one would hear that around here, and even if they did, they'd think it was something different. Dean stepped back, shaking. Setting the gun down, he sat down on the ground, tears falling down his face. He made no sound, just tried to collect his thoughts. Anyone could tell it would take a lot to convince him his partner really loved him-as the manipulation had worked well on him.

Castiel watched as Dean shook when he pulled the trigger, firing the lethal bullet at his uncle's chest. Blood spurted out before his body collapsed on the ground. If his uncle was not dead right away, he would be in a few minutes with a gunshot wound like that. His attention turned toward Dean, who was silently crying on the ground sitting on his knees. Seeing the sight made Castiel's heartache. After hearing his uncle's words, he knew he needed to either be aggressive in his defense or delicate with his words. Deciding to reveal himself, he stepped out and walked towards Dean. "Dean...You know he's a narcissist. Or was. It's dreadful...but he would have killed you if you hadn't."

Dean only heard the voice, and he didn't really listen to the voice's words, picking the gun up and standing to his feet, aiming. He realized he was pointing it at Castiel. "Don't..." he spoke, his voice choked with emotion. "Please... don't..." There was a pain in his voice and in his eyes. Someone could clearly see his mind battling against the brainwash he'd been set into. The hand holding the gun shook, and Dean executed a sob as he let his hand down. He kept his gaze on Castiel, waiting for him to do something-anything.

His heart stopped as Dean aimed the gun towards him. Castiel put his hands up and swallowed. His uncle had really gotten into his mind at this point. Dean was in an all-out tug of war with his emotions. His mind said one thing, but his heart said another. The uncle's words had tainted both with his venom. Cas very slowly stepped forward with his hands raised, even when his hands fell to his sides. "Hey... I'm here. I promise it'll be okay. I know you said not to follow, but my gut was telling me I needed too...and it's a good thing I did."

Once he got within arm's length of Dean, he kept his eyes locked on Dean's face with a soft gaze. His left hand reached for the gun to take it out of Dean's fingers. "Let's just set this down, okay? Just right here beside your feet." He instructed what he was doing as he quickly clicked the safety on the pistol. Once he stood back up straight, he held his arms out for a hug because he didn't want Dean to feel forced or cornered.

He didn't move after Castiel had set the gun down and held his arms out. "I-I ca-n..' t..." he wavered on the word, unable to decide if he was trying to say can or can't. Dean felt betrayed, angry, but overall, scared. He felt fear of rejection, truth, everything that he shouldn't be fearing. Yet, the venomous words of his uncle locked him in place and prevented him from making his own decision, prevented him from trusting Castiel like he should. It was just merely heartbreaking to him that he couldn't decide whether to really believe him or not.

The ex-officer knew that to get through to Dean, at least more than he was now, he would have to be more direct. He kept his arms outwards and stepped a bit closer. "Dean. Remember when we were still separated by those bars? How we would chat together about common interests and random topics? Or when it was your birthday, and I made sure you had a nicer breakfast? Before we even shared our first kiss, it's safe for me to say that I was in love with you. Not just for your looks, but because of who you are as a human being. You were nothing like the other prisoners in that place. You had a light glistening within you still. It wasn't lost to the complete darkness. Please believe me when I say none of what your uncle said was true. You know that deep down, but you're afraid, I get it. I understand you, Dean. I'm here for you through thick and thin." He spoke calmly.

Dean stayed where he was, contemplating whether to hug Castiel or step back. He knew he still had tears falling down his face, they would not cease for a while. Suddenly, he felt a hand on his shoulder. But there was no one there. The touch sent warmth and reassurance through him. When the weight disappeared after a moment, Dean stepped forward, looked into Castiel's eyes, and hugged him tightly, like he'd never let go no matter what happened. "I'm sorry..." he whispered.

A smile came across Cas' face as he felt Dean's arms wrap snugly around his body. He gripped him in an embracing and warm hug. "Don't apologize. Everything's okay. I promise." He whispered into Dean's ear. He nuzzled his face against the ex-prisoner's neck and gave him a kiss on the cheek. He was relieved that Dean didn't get killed or ended up shooting him due to adrenaline.

He let some of his body relax as he continued to hug Castiel, burying his face into his neck, wanting to be near him and feel his warmth. Dean believed him when he said everything was okay. Everything was okay now. Dean's uncle was dead, and that had been their only problem standing in the way. Now, they could most likely be able to live their lives in peace. He closed his eyes, sighing softly. It was over, he'd never have to endure something like that again, and he knew he could trust Castiel. Most of all, Dean was glad he hadn't gotten himself killed or injured Castiel. Another day of life.

Cas held Dean as long as the ex-prisoner needed to be kept. He could stand there, holding him in his embrace the rest of the day if desired. Having Dean's headrest in the crook of his neck felt soothing. His blue eyes shifted over to the body. Yep, still motionless. Castiel raised his head up, still holding his lover. "I think we should wait a while before we go to the shooting range." He smiled while lightly joking to lift Dean's spirits.

"Yeah, I think so too." He spoke, smiling just a little at Castiel's light joke. He'd stopped crying, and the tainted words of his uncle didn't plague him anymore. Dean felt like he was A-okay now, and that was a good thing. "Can we go home, Cas?" He asked, still not releasing his grip on the ex-police officer.

"I would love to go back home with you. We'll have to walk back to the stadium to our cars since I followed you on foot. You made me tap into my investigation skills, Winchester." He grinned. "I enjoyed it, though...I had my gun on me just in case." He squeezed Dean tightly to him.

Dean smiled softly at his words and stayed where he was for a moment more. Pulling away gently, he looked at Castiel before nodding and walking away to get his bag and drag it out onto the asphalt, then retrieve his gun, safety still on, from the ground. Standing up, he looked at the body, still limp and bleeding, before tilting his head up in defiance and beginning the walk back to the stadium.

As the two men walked back to the stadium together, Castiel kept his ears on high alert was given what just happened. No one had heard the gunshot, but he was hyper-aware in case Dean's uncle had brought some type of backup. It wasn't uncommon for his kind to do that, but usually, they worked alone and hated further interference. He sighed, thankful that the uncle was now dead, and Dean could have that burden off his mind once and for all.

Going back the way they'd come, Dean was silent, until they'd finally reached the stadium. "Since we both have our cars, it's only logical we drive home separately." He spoke. Looking out to the parking lot, he saw his Impala and Castiel's car parked next to each other, and he cracked a slight smile. That wasn't unusual, but the reality of it made him smile a little.

The ex-officer nodded his head. "I agree. I wouldn't want to leave one car over here. I'll meet you at home then?" He walked over to his driver's door and looked over at Dean as he did the same. "I would say let's race, but I'm not sure if we would want tickets, haha."

"I'd risk a ticket to beat you in a race," Dean said, smirking, opening the driver's door, and looking across to Castiel. "But not today. I just want to get home like I intended to." He spoke, getting into his car and starting it up, backing out of the parking space and beginning to drive in the direction of home. Dean turned on the radio to a metal song by a band he'd never heard before and turned it up because it was good.

Cas laughed as Dean said that a ticket would be worth beating him in a race. Maybe some other time they'll race down the road in their cars. He slipped inside his Thunderbird and started the engine pulling out of the stadium. He smiled as he drove in silence this time, thinking about what they would decide to do for the rest of the day together.

After about twenty minutes, Dean turned onto the road that led to home, driving at the speed limit. He parked in the driveway and got out, taking the keys from his car and turning it off. Shutting the door, he leaned against his car and watched Castiel's approaching one, smirking at it. He just seemed happy that they were home. Dean then did realize he still had his uniform on and chuckled softly.

Cas was not far behind and pulled into the driveway right next to Dean's car. Turning off the car and switching it into 'park,' he got out and shut the door. He smiled seeing Dean standing there still in his basketball uniform. "You look great in that, but you might want to change out of it since we are home." He stated as he walked up to Dean.

He nodded, and walked over to the door, unlocking it and swinging it forward, making sure Castiel was inside before closing and locking it. "I'm going to take a quick shower, so you do whatever, and I'll be right back," Dean spoke, putting his keys on the nearby counter and disappearing into their bedroom with the bathroom already there, closing the door behind him.

Dean deserves a hot shower after his day. Castiel decided to change into sweatpants that were comfier than the jeans he had been wearing today. He would just shower in the morning. Exiting their room, he took his pistol and locked it back up in the safe. Cas had already given Dean the combination in case of an emergency. Deciding what to do, the ex-officer straightened up something around the living room.

Dean took a quick but hot shower, dressing into a pair of sweatpants and a shirt. He knew he should probably get a haircut soon, so he figured he could do that over the weekend. Sighing softly, Dean put his phone on the wireless charger and walked out to the kitchen, his steps slightly silent because of wearing socks. He put his bag of leftover tacos in the fridge and walked over to the living room entrance.

Castiel's head perked up when he sensed Dean in the room. "I had a funny thought while I was tidying up some stuff. We are kind of like Bonnie and Clyde, haha." He walked up to Dean, enjoying the smell coming off of him after a shower. It reminded him of a fresh, spring mist. "Feel better after the shower?"

He looked at the ex-officer, nodding. "I feel a lot better. And we sort of are like Bonnie and Clyde, except we're in the open." Dean spoke quietly, taking Castiel's hand and pulling him close. He smiled at him, enjoying having the other male so close to him. "I forgot to ask, how was the er, interview, or whatever it's called?"

Blush formed across Cas' cheeks as Dean pulled them closer together. He flashed a smile. "I think it's called an evaluation. And it went well. The staff was very professional. The owner's name is Brian, and he had me spar with another staff member to get a feel for what I'm able to instruct others on...I did end up dropping the other guy to the ground, but I was impressed with the control he had in his strikes." Castiel wouldn't mind Dean coming along once to see what it was all about. He thought that maybe deep down, a part of himself wanted to impress Dean like he does with his basketball to Cas.

Dean nodded and thought for a moment. "Interesting. Tomorrow is a free day for me but a workday for you," He began. "I was thinking of beginning work on the studio tomorrow and dropping off lunch for you while you're at work, possibly even watch for a bit." He suggested, smiling at the prospect of seeing Castiel's skills in defensive and offensive and maybe even learning a thing or two from it.

Maybe Dean could read his mind, but Castiel was hoping he would say that. "I'd love that very much. I'll be done at one since I head in around nine. Surprise me for lunch, I don't have anything in mind or something I'm craving. I'd be happy to teach you a few things on the side." Cas knew Dean was already physically capable as he was fit from basketball. He just needed instruction on some useful techniques of self-defense.

He raised an eyebrow, smiling. "Maybe I could teach you how to play basketball, guitar, and drums." Dean was half-joking because he was in a good mood now. He led Castiel to the couch and sat down with him. "I will surprise you for lunch, then." He winked at Castiel, already knowing what he was getting him tomorrow.

"I wouldn't mind you teaching me all of those things. Or at least giving me a new experience if I'm not decent at them. I feel like I can keep a beat pretty good with music." He leaned in towards Dean and snuggled up against him getting comfortable. Castiel was the happiest when he next to Dean like this. He loved being close to him.

Smiling softly, Dean put an arm around Castiel, pulling him as close as he could and then keeping his arm around him. "I'll teach you all those things then, Cas." He declared, stretching out his legs for a few seconds. It was cozy, silent, and warm inside the house, making the atmosphere seem gentle and relaxed. Dean liked it a lot.

The remote was on the table in front of them. Castiel skillfully used his foot to pull it closer and grabbed it with his hand. "Shall we watch a movie on low volume, or do you want to keep talking about whatever comes to mind?" He asked with a peck on Dean's cheek.

"I suppose we could watch a movie, but hold on," Dean spoke, releasing his hold on Castiel and getting up, disappearing downstairs for a few minutes and coming back up with a simple brown box, except it had some holes in it. Smiling, he walked over to Castiel and set it down beside him. "Open it," Dean spoke softly to him. Inside the box would be a kitten and a puppy, and Dean already had everything bought for the both of them. He knew Castiel would most likely be okay with it.

Cas furrowed his brows at Dean, coming back upstairs with a mysterious box. That had holes in it. He carefully opened the lid and out popped a small puppy and kitten, poking their heads up to say 'hello.' His eyes rested on the two animals while a grin appeared on his face due to the innocence of two young animals. His expression matched a child seeing baby animals for the first time. His hands gently lifted them both out and he rested them against his torso. "Can we keep them?"

Dean took the box and put it on the floor, sitting down near Castiel but a few feet away to give him and the animals space. "Of course." He replied calmly, looking at the three of them as he leaned back on the couch. The kitten was mostly jet black with a white chest and paws, with crystal blue eyes, and a heart-shaped pink nose. The puppy was rusty ginger, had chocolate brown eyes, and a reddish-pink nose. Dean thought he'd chosen well.

The smiles on Castiel's face didn't fade as he watched the two animals snuggle and be content in his arms. "They're adorable, when did you sneak these into the house?" He chuckled. "Knowing you, you already bought all the supplies needed for them."

"That's a secret, and yes, I already bought everything." He declared, smiling at his own achievement. Dean practically lived for the genuine smile Castiel had on his face. It warmed his heart that he was so happy with Dean's decision to buy two pets. The journey would be a bumpy one, but they'd mature, and they'd be adequately trained, and it wouldn't be so bad to have them around. Especially when he was home by himself or Castiel was.

The ex-officer appreciated that Dean was probably thinking of them when he bought the animals. What if one of them was here alone, they wouldn't be lonely waiting for the other one to return. The kitten was falling asleep and Castiel handed Dean the puppy as it was wanting to be over on his lap. "Oh I suppose we have to name them too. How about I name the cat, and you can name the dog?"

Dean nodded in agreement. "Okay." Dean took the puppy, who was male, and set him in his lap, petting him whilst he licked his hand. He smiled down at him, a fond look in his eyes. "Hmm, I'll name you, Drew." He decided. The name did have significance to him, and that's why he'd chosen it. Dean gently played with the small animal, giggling and blushing when Drew licked his face.

Castiel smiled when the puppy, who was now named Drew, crawled eagerly into Dean's lap and decided to lick his hand. It was sweet. His blue eyes looked down at the kitten, who was snuggled against his chest and purring in its sleep. "Hm I think I'll name this kitten Luna." He had seen it was female when he picked it up earlier. "I enjoy the moon, and I think cats go along with the night rather than the day...She seems to be enjoying napping in my hand."

He looked up at Castiel and then at the kitten, newly named Luna, and smiled softly. "That's a beautiful name, Cas. Your reasoning for it goes well with it too." Dean spoke, scooting over to sit next to Castiel, their bodies touching. The puppy had calmed down and was now curled up in Dean's lap. He stroked the puppy, leaning his head on Castiel's shoulder.

An amusing thought passed the blue-eyed man's head as he rested his head against Dean's. "Would you say I'm more cat-like while you're more of a canine?" He lightly rubbed the kittens head in circles with his pointer finger, comforting it as she slept. The two of them with their animals were like a happy little family on the couch.

Dean chuckled softly. "Yeah, I would say that." He replied, a hint of amusement in his voice. Drew had now fallen asleep, much like his cat companion, in his lap. Everything was peaceful and quiet, Dean liked it. The two men, the animals, everything was just fine. Smiling softly once more, Dean took Castiel's free hand in his own, intertwining their fingers and squeezing Castiel's hand lightly, a silent gesture of love Dean felt towards him.

A smile formed on Cas' lips as Dean intertwined their fingers together. He always loved when Dean took their hands together. He gently squeezed back, returning the silent gesture of affection. He closed his eyes and fully embraced the moment of them being able to be together, safe under their own roof. A realization popped into the ex-officers mind: Dean had never been this relaxed before until now. Logically, it was because the man who had a death wish against him had his life ended earlier today.

He reflected for a few moments on the fact that he'd never been this relaxed before a few hours prior. He had no problems on his slate, no enemies, no nothing. Dean smiled softly yet again. He and Castiel could live out their lives without any outside issues. There would be some arguments and conflicts, but that was normal. They would always come back to each other afterward, no matter what, like two magnets. It made his heart warm just thinking about it.

A few moments had passed, and Castiel felt himself starting to drift off with Luna in his lap and his body and head leaning on Dean. His mind went to darkness as he entered a light sleeping stage, still aware of what was happening around them. It turns out, Castiel had never been this relaxed either.

Dean felt Castiel relaxing a bit more and knew he was drifting off to sleep. He knew he'd need to stay up, so he could keep an eye out for danger while Castiel slept. He smiled lightly, stayed quiet, and stayed unmoving so that the other male could sleep completely. The blonde continued to pet Drew even as the puppy was asleep too. Everyone was so tranquil, it was almost unbelievable.

Once he fell into a deep sleep, Cas' mind started dreaming a sweet, simple dream of himself and Dean in a large field. It was an appearance a horizon of bright blue sky, with no clouds. There were patches of flowers in the distance. It was just them together enjoying the weather, scenery, and each other most of all.

He leaned his head back onto the couch cushions, closing his forest green eyes. The ex-prisoner wasn't going to sleep, but he was just letting himself rest a little bit, giving his eyes a break. His right eye strained a little each day with it being the only working eye, and it hurt. But when Dean closed his eyes, he was letting his eye get 'recharged.' Dean stopped petting the puppy and let his body relax fully. He thought he'd probably sleep even if he didn't intend to.

The darker haired man managed to open his eyes when he felt the kitten shift in her sleep. Luna was restless in her nap. He debated what to do. Carefully, Cas pulled the kitten up to set her on his shoulder to offer more warmth for the little ball of fur. She was purring softly, and Cas smiled, knowing that that seemed to help. He looked over at Dean moving his eyes and saw that his eyes were closed as he relaxed back into the sofa.

Dean didn't notice the other man's movements, because he was beginning to fall asleep himself. He hadn't known how tired the day's events had made him until now, and because of that, he was now falling slowly into the familiar veil of sleep that he knew so well. Dean's breaths evened out, and he was in a middle stage sleep within moments.

He'll be damned if he let anything ruin this moment of peace for all of them. Given that the kitten woke him up, he decided to stay awake and just fall asleep later at night when they officially went to bed. Castiel felt like if he had wings like the tattoo on Dean's back, he would wrap him and their two pets up right now with them. Cas' mind wandered back to when Dean just shot his uncle. He felt terrible knowing that his uncle got to him with his twisted words, but Castiel was proud of Dean for making a choice to not let the man influence him ultimately. If he had not been there to see everything for his own eyes, Cas felt the situation could have ended very differently.

When Dean had gone entirely into deep sleep, that was when he started dreaming. A serene scene, Dean, was walking along a beach coastline with Drew, fully grown. Luna, also fully grown, streaked past Drew playfully, and they played. Dean felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to find his brother standing there, a full-grown man. That's when Dean realized this wasn't a standard type of dream. On the outside world, Dean's grip on Castiel's hand tightened a little. Both in the dream and outside, tears fell silently down Dean's face.

He was lost in his own thoughts about everything that went down earlier. Mentally cursing himself for overthinking events again, he felt Dean's grip adjust and squeeze a bit tighter in their intertwined hands. Castiel looked down at their hands before glancing up at Dean's face. There were tear marks on his cheeks. This could have been the ex-prisoner's way of releasing emotion after everything. He didn't seem to be having a nightmare, almost more like a peaceful, blissful dream.

In the dream, Dean turned to Sam, shaking his head. "I'm... I'm so sorry, Sammy. I should've done something..." his voice broke.

Sam shook his head. "You did what you could, Dean. You gave it your effort. You avenged me and Mom's deaths. We are proud of you, Dean."

Dean just started crying harder, and Sam gave him a hug. The brothers embraced one another, so many years apart, making them prominent to more tears. Dean made no sounds in the outside world, but his tears fell faster, and there were more.

Castiel continued watching Dean, making sure he was okay. Feelings of sadness pooled into his heart, witnessing him cry like this while sleeping. No pain expressions were on his face. The tears flowed harder down Dean's cheeks, but Cas kept his handheld onto his letting him know that he was here still. He could only imagine all the emotions Dean had been holding inside him after all these years. Now with his uncle gone, Dean can lessen the emotional burdens he had tied down to himself.

Dean and Sam pulled away from each other. "I thought I'd never see you again," Dean confessed.

"The feeling is shared. But you've built yourself a new life, brother. You have a home, a career that you love, and most of all, you have a partner. Even when you said you'd never love again, you have someone. That was not of my nor Mother's accord. That was your own, Dean. You should be proud of yourself and Castiel." Sam reasoned, making Dean smile at him.

Down below, in the house, Mary, Dean's mother, appeared near the television. "Oh, my poor baby. He's been through so much." Mary spoke as she looked at Dean. Her gaze went to Castiel. It was a sparkling green like Dean's. "My name is Mary. I am Dean's mother."

A ghostly figure appears in Dean and Castiel's living room; she became more robust as seconds passed by. Blue eyes widened as Cas thought he saw things but soon realized that this beautiful woman was speaking to him. Did she just say she's Dean's mother? The ex-officer was a believer in the paranormal, but this was unreal that a spirit was talking to him. "Did you just say you're Dean's mother? ...He does resemble you, especially your eye color."

Mary nodded. "Yes, I did say that." Her gaze flicked to Dean and Castiel again. "Dean is currently in a dream, reuniting with his brother. You must be Castiel." She spoke, giving him a respectful nod.

In the dream, Dean and Sam walked along the coastline together. "We've watched over you. You've done well." Sam began. "It's amazing how much your basketball skills have improved. I'd think you practiced nonstop."

Dean chuckled. "I only practiced eight or ten hours every day, haha."

It was no surprise that Mary would know Dean was dreaming about his brother. Dean must've been shedding tears out of happiness seeing his brother again. Perhaps it wasn't Dean's mind, but Sam's spirit reaching out towards him and wanting to make contact. The thought of that was heartwarming to Castiel. He smiled softly at Mary. "Yes. I'm Castiel. Well... it's nice to meet you. I wish it would be under better circumstances, though."

She nodded once more. "I understand your wishes for better circumstances. But alas, life does happen, and we must move on." Mary spoke. "You seem like a fine man, Castiel. Dean is fortunate to have someone like you by his side after what he's endured." She spoke again.

Dean and Sam continued to walk along the coastline, and they talked back and forth about a lot. Sam talked about how Heaven was and how fascinating it was to watch over Dean after he died. Dean talked about basketball, being in prison, his new music hobby, and most of all, Castiel. He wondered then what the other man was doing at this moment…

"That's very kind of you to say about me. I suppose I don't give myself enough credit? I feel luckier to have him by my side if I must be honest." Castiel admitted. He wondered more about the spirit world and how Mary and Sam were able to contact Dean now if they hadn't been able to before. Surely, they've been watching, but nowhere they were conversing with the two men. There could've been a connection between their presence and Dean's uncle's death; he could've been a blockade because of the grip he had on the green-eyed man. Now that Dean's mind was open and less burdened, he would be more open and aware of his family's presence around both of them.

"You're right, you don't give yourself enough credit." Her green eyes sparkled slightly with amusement for a second. "You are pretty much the whole reason my only living son is alive now. Think about it, if you hadn't fallen in love with him, he'd have no reason to live, and he'd be dead now. If you hadn't followed him, he would've had to either be manipulated by his uncle or forced himself to kill him and himself so you'd stay alive. We would have visited sooner, but Dean's mind was tainted with thoughts of revenge, and so we had to let that pass before we could visit him." Mary was silent for a moment. "You must know, Dean cares the universe about you. His love for you is described by us as love beyond all explanation, it cannot even be explained by God himself."

Mary was pulling at Castiel's heartstrings a little when she described the credit he deserves. She certainly had a mother's way of words, and they were beautifully executed. A soft smile appeared on the ex officers face and unbeknownst to him, one small teardrop flowed down his cheek. Out of gratitude. "Heh, thank you, Mary...You just sent a radiance of warmth into me. I'm just happy Dean has a better mind frame, and he's able to accept and feel you two again. He deserves it."

Mary smiled. "I agree with you. He deserves what he has now. Our plan for him is a peaceful life and death. He'll die of old age, not illness or pain. It will be peaceful, and he will die happy." A few moments of silence after that. "If I am correct, you'd want to die with him when the time comes, yes?" She asked, looking at Castiel with a kind light in her eyes.

Cas was taken a little off guard by Mary's genuine question. He remembered when they were in the prison and him Dean discussed about taking a bullet for each other. "Ah, well, yes. But I'd want it to be natural, nothing forced or unneeded. I suppose I feel it's a bit selfish of me to feel that way since everyone has a time when they pass on from this world." He explained his feelings.

She nodded. "I see." Looking at Dean again, Mary sighed. "I think I should go now. He will wake up any moment now. Remember what I told you, Castiel. Treat him well, and he will do the same." She spoke her last words. Just like that, she was gone, as if she hadn't been there before. Dean said goodbye to Sam in his dream, and then he opened his eyes. In his dream, he'd been able to see out of his other eye when Sam had first touched him. He shot upright, realizing he could observe fully, and he smiled. The scar was still there, but the white film that had been there was gone.

Castiel watched as Mary said her goodbyes and kept her departing words close to him. He turned quickly when he realized Dean was now wide awake. His left eye looked brighter than it had before, and he furrowed his brows. "Dean? Can you see out of your left eye now?" He had no idea how Sam's spirit was able to do that, but some things were unexplainable in this world.

Dean nodded. "Yeah, I can see..." he said breathlessly. He put his hands in front of him, gasping as he could see with both of his eyes. "Holy..." he looked to Castiel. "I can see, Cas! I can freakin' see!" He spoke excitedly. Giddy with excitement and not really thinking straight, he wrapped his arms around Castiel in a tight hug.

Castiel couldn't help but grin widely at seeing Dean's joy of him being able to see out if both of his eyes. He gripped Dean tightly smiling as happy tears for him streamed down his cheeks. "Haha, I'm so happy for you. I knew how badly that bothered you first."

He smiled, keeping his grip on Castiel. "I'll be able to do things so much more easily now," Dean spoke, relief in his voice and making him shake slightly. After a few moments, he pulled back slightly and wiped away the tears on Castiel's face, cupping his cheeks with his hands afterward.

"Guess I got emotional for you, huh? I remember how your face looked when you first recognized your bandages were off. Your left eye had a film over it from the knife, but now it's that wonderful forest green." He smiled, cupping Dean's face as well, showing some blush.

The ex-prisoner smiled lovingly at him, he always liked it when Castiel commented about his eyes. "I love you, Cas...so, so much. You've no idea." Dean spoke quietly, looking at the couch for a few seconds and then back at the ex-officer. He carefully brushed his face with the palm of his hand before settling it back to cup his cheek.

He smiled sheepishly at Dean as the two animals were still perched on each of them. Pulling Dean's head closer to his as they cupped each other's faces, Castiel rested his forehead upon his partners. "And I love you, Dean...I really can't find the words to describe how much I adore you. Maybe someday I'll figure it out and write it out for you." He chuckled softly. "Have I mentioned how much I enjoy when you hold my face with your hands?"

Dean raised an eyebrow slightly. "No, you haven't told me that." He spoke, and chuckled softly. "And if you wrote down your love for me into words, I could write mine down but make mine a song. I don't think you've experienced my actual singing voice before."

There were times where Cas heard Dean humming a tune while doing various tasks. Even his humming voice was pleasant to listen to. His singing voice had to be even better. The ex-officer himself felt like he could carry a tune, but he didn't have any opinions of weather he was decent or not. "I'd love that. I enjoy listening to you hum sometimes, so I bet you sing even better."

Smiling, Dean replied, "Well, I'm sure your singing voice is at least decent." He half-joked. Sliding his hands from Castiel's cheeks to interlock at the back of his neck, Dean pecked his lips in an almost teasing way. He felt a bit playful but gentle at the same time. He just knew that it was coming from being near Castiel.

The darker haired man raised a brow at Dean's playful behavior with a quick kiss. He'd play along as before Dean's practice, Cas was the one who was being playful, making Dean blush. In return, Castiel gave a quick peck on Dean's soft nose and pulled away with a smirk.

The blonde smirked too, also raising an eyebrow. Dean knew Castiel was thinking of the same thing he'd done before practice, playing with him. Except now Dean was playing with him, as if a reverse card had been thrown between them. Dean, in return, pecked Castiel's cheeks quickly, one peck on each.

This game was enjoyable that Dean had started between them. Slight blush appeared on his cheeks once he left a kiss on each one. Cas decided to give three kisses across Dean's forehead and try to see what he was thinking next by looking in his eyes.

Dean smiled at Castiel and noticed he was looking into his eyes. Knowing that the ex-officer could read what he was going to do next, he made it so he couldn't see that. Smirking, Dean pressed two swift kisses on each of Castiel's temples. He pulled back after that, waiting for Castiel's reaction.

As the kisses went onto his temples, Cas slightly pouted because Dean had diverted his actions when he figured out that Cas was trying to read his movements. He thought for a few seconds before placing a soft kiss on Dean's chin. They just about kissed every location on each other's faces, and he wondered how they would figure out who won this little game.

Dean figured now that they'd kissed pretty much everywhere there was to kiss on each other's faces. Before making his next move, he stared into Castiel's shimmering blue eyes, smiling. He then leaned forward and touched his lips to the other male's in a long, slow, yet happy and meaningful kiss, closing his eyes.

Castiel got lost in Dean's bright green eyes as they admired each other. Once their lips collided softly and Dean set the pace for their passionate kiss, Cas closed his eyes and followed his rhythm as he pulled Dean a little closer to him by carefully putting his hands around the back of his head. He made sure to express all his emotions through the sensual kiss with his lover.

When Castiel expressed all his emotions through the kiss, Dean did the very same, and additionally tangled his fingers in Castiel's hair and tugged gently. He reached out and pulled them as close as they could possibly get. He'd needed something like this after a long and very emotional day like he'd had, and he was glad to be getting it. It was one of the reasons why he appreciated Castiel.

As the green-eyed man tugged a little at Castiel's hair, goosebumps flared up across his body. He smiled a little as they kissed. An idea flowed into his train of thought. With their kiss being long and slow, Cas decided to very gently nibble Dean's lower lip a little before resuming their original movements.

Dean wasn't expecting the gentle nibble on his lower lip, but his instincts told him to do something that didn't quite make sense, but he did it anyway. A shiver went through him, and goosebumps erupted on his body, but it wasn't cold. Dean assumed it was adrenaline or something similar. Trusting himself, he parted his lips slightly.

The ex-officer slightly tilted his head as Dean parted his lips. He thought for a few seconds on what he should do in this case. Taking a mental breath and hoping not to make Dean uncomfortable, he very gently slid his tongue into Dean's mouth as they resumed kissing. It was an odd feeling, but it was a new experience.

Many feelings went through him when he felt the other male's tongue in his mouth. The thing that stood above it all was a pleasant, blissful feeling. Dean lifted his tongue to meet the other male's, and it was like an electric explosion of sorts that passed between them. But it was a good feeling, at least to Dean. He suddenly hoped he hadn't made Castiel uncomfortable by doing that.

The new sensations from their tongues brushing up against each other was indeed exciting. Castiel didn't mind it all, he felt it was natural with Dean. He felt the hairs on his arms stand on edge from the chemicals charging through his veins. He furrowed his brows and tried to move his tongue around Dean's in different motions to experiment with him.

He was unprepared for the movements of Castiel's tongue, but he felt different when it happened. Dean became almost weak as his partner experimented with him. He couldn't resist letting out a satisfactory hum at the movements of their tongues and found himself enjoying it, possibly a little more than he should. But he had never really experienced something like this, so it was reasonable that he was enjoying it.

The satisfied hum Dean made out of his throat with Cas' actions made him blush furiously, and he realized he needed to catch his breath a bit. Pulling back gently, he took a breath and looked in Dean's eyes. "Needed to breathe. Um...so how was that? I d-didn't really know what I was doing when I did that."

Dean caught his breath after Castiel pulled back gently, then gathered his feelings a bit before responding. Looking into Castiel's eyes as he was with him, "I uh-...wow..." he chuckled remarkably and let his hands drop to cup his cheeks. "I've never really experienced that. But that was...that was good. You might even say that was...satisfying." He said, blushing quite furiously and looking to the corners of his eyes, embarrassed that he'd hummed like that.

A nervous laugh escaped from Castiel's lips. "Oh g-good, it wasn't just me...I uh...really enjoyed that as well." His heart was pounding in his chest from getting flustered over the whole experience. He shyly lowered his gaze away from Dean's as his hands were around Cas' cheeks once more. Cas was sure Dean could feel how hot they were.

He took his hands away, feeling the heat of Castiel's blush. Reviewing in his mind what had just happened, he scooted away a few feet from Castiel and looked the opposite way from him, at the ground. He was just giving them both space to contemplate what had just went on between them. Dean was silent, everyone was quiet for now. He wasn't planning on being the first one to break the silence.

A blanket of silence filled the room as the two men sat together, dwelling on the new experience. It was pleasant for both of them. Just brand new and left them unsure of where to go from here. A few minutes passed, and Castiel cleared his throat a little, attempting to make conversation while twirling his thumbs together. Gosh, he didn't know what to say, so he figured he would just wing it. "...Um, so maybe sometime in the future...want to do that again?"

The basketball player didn't look at Castiel still, as he was still very flustered, but he did reply. "U-uh, yeah, o-of course." He spoke, nodding slightly. Luna jumped up into his lap and immediately curled up there, so he stroked her gently. She purred, and it made him feel a little less flustered. It was interesting. Drew was laying down on the ground. Dean didn't muster enough courage to look at Castiel, so he just looked down at the kitten and puppy.

Cas patted his own cheeks softly to get them to go back to average temperature. That was not working. He decided to get up and grab a glass of water and chug it down. He refilled the glass and sat back down on the couch, setting the glass on the table. His blue eyes stole a glance at Dean and moved back to his lap as he awkwardly played with his thumbs.

He stayed like that for a long time. Then, he looked at the clock and saw it was nearly ten at night. Castiel needed to work tomorrow. "We need to go to bed," Dean spoke, his tone emotionless except for tiredness, standing to his feet and holding Luna in his arms. Drew got up, and followed him to the bedroom. Dean crawled into bed, pulling the covers over himself, Luna and Drew curling up and cuddling up to him. All three of them were peacefully asleep before you could say, "We're writing our epitaph."

Cas hadn't realized how late it was after the long day they had together. He yawned and rubbed his eyes as he walked to their bedroom. He gently scooted himself underneath the covers lying his head on the pillow, being careful not to wake the other three up. He hummed softly, getting comfortable and fell fast asleep quietly and contentedly, slightly curled up in a ball as his usual sleeping position.

Dean would not dream that night, and it was probably because he had nothing to dream about. His last shocking thought before falling asleep was that he still wished he had part of his sight gone. Why was he did not know? But somehow, part of him missed the feeling of heightened senses. He was afraid he would lose that now that he had his regular sight back. He was unaware that he would not.

The ex-officer was exhausted and fell into a deep sleep for work tomorrow. In preparation for getting a part-time job, Cas had bought himself a watch to use as an alarm clock and set it to vibrate, so that the standard loud ringing wouldn't wake Dean up. Plus, he thought the loud blaring noise in the morning was very jarring. He slept peacefully, with all of them huddled in their bed together.


	9. Chapter 9

Morning came quickly, and the four of them were still asleep. It was just moments before Castiel's alarm would go off-or vibrate, for that matter. Dean was still in a deep sleep, and thankfully he hadn't sleepwalked this time. He'd not dreamt this night either, he was just floating in that usual black veil of his. Dean stirred a bit, but no other movements progressed from him.

Castiel felt his watch go off on his wrist, and he mumbled quietly while turning it off. It was a handy device of waking up in the morning. He looked over at Dean and smiled at how peacefully he was sleeping with Luna and Drew curled up beside him. If he had his phone nearby him, he would have taken a picture to capture the adorable moment. Carefully sliding out of bed, Castiel went to their closet and grabbed a fresh set of clothes: a navy blue t-shirt, some clean sweatpants, and sneakers. Looking in the mirror, he decided he could shower later on in the day. He wouldn't blame Dean if he was sleeping still while Cas departed. He would make an extra breakfast for him just in case.

A few minutes after Castiel departed from the room, Drew barked, startling Dean out of his sleep. Looking at his phone, he saw it was about eight-thirty in the morning. Blinking, Dean sat up and ran his hand through his hair and yawned, standing to his feet and stretching. He put on a long-sleeved shirt and some sweatpants and slippers. Drew practically threw himself off the bed and half skidded, half-ran down the hall out to where Castiel was. Dean trailed lazily behind the dog, holding Luna in his arms and cooing softly at her as he walked along.

The sound of tiny paws skidded across the wood floor, and Castiel laughed softly as he thought that noise would be frequent from now on. The puppy sure had spunk in him. He knelt down and picked up Drew with his hands to be greeted by dog kisses of excitement to see him. He held him back away from his face. "You're sure wide awake this morning...Oh I should probably let you outside. Good thing we have a fence around our small backyard." He stated as he opened the back door and set Drew out to do his business.

Yawning again, Dean set down Luna and walked over to Castiel, giving him a smile and a quick good morning kiss on the lips before pulling him into his arms. "Good morning, love. Did you sleep well?" He greeted, keeping his grip on the ex-officer as if he were to lose him. It was a daily thing for him to just hold him like this.

Cas smiled and returned the quick kiss on Dean's lips. "I slept wonderfully, how about you? I was right about the watch not waking you up. Even so, I don't like the loud ringing noise in the mornings." He wrapped his hands around Dean's arms, holding them close together.

"I don't like that noise much either. I slept amazingly. I feel refreshed this morning." He spoke softly, smiling as he looked into Castiel's blue eyes. Dean looked around the kitchen for a second. "Were you going to make breakfast, or should I? I can cook exceptionally quick, and the food would still be good." He spoke, chuckling softly.

"Hm, I might have to take you up on that offer since I have to leave in fifteen minutes. I should probably set the alarm a bit earlier next time." He smiled and looked into Dean's eyes, then glanced at Drew's direction as he saw him moving out in the yard. The puppy was having the time of its life running around in the grass, chasing the grasshoppers.

Dean looked out the window at the puppy, then smiled. "Alright. I'll do that, you do whatever you need to." He spoke, releasing his grip on the ex-officer and getting a pan and eggs, along with some other things, out for breakfast. He was going to make an omelet, something that he was quite experienced in making. He began to cook the eggs, getting out some seasonings, a cutting board, and a knife, along with a tomato and pepper, which he began to dice into little squares.

Castiel nodded at Dean as a silent 'thank you' before going out to grab Drew to make sure he doesn't get muddy and would need a bath. The puppy squirmed a bit in his hands and he set him down on the floor after wiping off his paws. He laughed softly as Drew continued to let out some energy while Luna calmly watched him. The two couldn't be more opposites right now. Cas went to the bathroom and fixed his hair, so it wasn't as messy. Though, he could never fully tame his dark locks.

He had one omelet done in three minutes, and the other done in that amount of time as well. Dean brought out two plates and put one on each, and got glasses of orange juice for each of them, and set everything on the coffee table, putting the used pan, knife, and cutting board in the sink. The blonde also got silverware for the two of them. "Breakfast is ready, Cas!" He called, sitting down on the couch.

The ex-officer perked his head up when he heard Dean calling from the kitchen. That was really fast. He headed out towards the kitchen and saw two wonderfully prepared omelets for both of them. It smelled delicious, especially with the peppers. "This looks, great Dean. Thanks." He smiled before taking his first bite. The flavors all blended together smoothly, and the eggs weren't overpowering. "And tastes even better!"

Dean smiled at the praise. He felt his cheeks go hot, and he chuckled softly. "T-thank you, Cas." He spoke, taking a bite of his. Indeed, Castiel was right. It was pretty decent. Nodding in approval of himself, he began to eat more, bite by bite. Drew came cautiously over, looking at Dean. Luna followed closely. "C'mon, guys, I don't even know if this is bad for you," Dean spoke, facepalming.

The ex-officer looked over at the two pets beg for food. He swallowed his bite. "That's cute, but we can't get into the habit of feeding them little pieces. Especially Drew. I don't mind them watching with curiosity, though." He smiled before getting down to half of his omelette. "Wonder how good Drew would be as a guard dog since Luna is out of the question."

Dean tilted his head. "Oh, I've heard of cats protecting their owners, so don't say that just yet." He declared. "Although-"He spoke, taking a closer look at Drew. His ears were triangle-shaped and stuck up. Dean realized there were some black splotches on him. "Drew's a German Shepherd, so he'd be a pretty good guard dog. German Shepherds get big-I mean, huge."

He nodded regarding Dean's comment about cats being protective. Castiel was more knowledgeable when it comes to dogs, especially police dogs. And Drew just happened to be a type of breed the force uses. "I think I can train Drew to be a guard dog if anyone were to pop in while we are gone. Although we have deadbolts, so they would have to be really committed to their plan to actually come inside with a dog barking." He commented as he finished up his breakfast.

He nodded. "I agree with you on that. They'd have to be really committed to get past Drew, and then me and you. They'd have to be committed as hell." Dean smirked, eating the last two pieces of his breakfast and downing his orange juice. "I am definitely ready to work on the studio today." He declared, taking their dishes and putting them in the sink. "It's been about thirteen minutes, so I imagine you'd want to go now." He spoke, helping Castiel to his feet.

Cas smiled as Dean helped him out of the chair. "Well, I know I'll do great because of the wonderful breakfast that was made. Feel free to stop by if you want a break. I'll be excited to see what you do with your music studio." He smiled as he grabbed his car keys, and gave a gentle kiss on Dean's lips.

The ex-prisoner blushed softly as Castiel commented on his breakfast. He smiled at him. When he was given a gentle kiss on his lips, Dean kissed back with just as much gentleness as received. The lighter haired male pulled away after a few moments. "You have a good day at work." He spoke, ruffling Castiel's hair playfully, and smiling at him.

A laugh escaped Castiel's lips as Dean ruffled his hair, making it messier. "All right, I'll see you later." He waved as he headed out the door to get inside his car and start his short drive to his new part-time job as a self-defense instructor.

Ahead of time, Dean had bought black, white, light blue, and bright green paint. He'd also bought some additional posters of a few of his favorite bands. Dean made his way downstairs and cleaned the floor and started on his painting, using black first. The plan was to paint the walls black and paint some white stripes in the corners of the room, then make some cool designs with the blue and green paints. After that was done drying, he would hang the posters and move in the instruments he'd bought as well.

The ex-officer turned on the radio and heard a band called 'The Cranberries' were playing. Castiel recognized the song and sang along softly with it. It happened to be the only one he knew by the band. It was called 'Zombie.' Before entering the building, Cas wondered if anyone would ever find Dean's uncle's body out where they were. He knew they would have no way of tracking them down, but he hoped it wouldn't show up on TV.

Dean had his phone set up, playing a song called 'Hereafter,' with the band being called 'Architects.' As Dean painted, he reflected that the man singing had moving lyrics. That, he decided, would be his first song that he made a cover of. He lightly nodded his head to the beat since he wasn't about to headbang with paint in his hand.

Castiel walked into the building and greeted the lady at the front desk. Her name was Cheryl, and she instructed him to go ahead and head out onto the floor with Brian. Cas went into the big room with all the equipment and greeted Brian with a firm handshake. "What do you have for me today, sir?"

"Nice to see you again. I'm going to have you do some training with more advanced martial artists today. They just need to touch upon a few things and need a practice buddy. If you're unfamiliar with any of their moves, just wave me over, and I'll show you. But you seem like a pretty educated man when it comes to this."

"Aha, well, I'd like to think so anyway." Castiel greeted the two men and one woman who he was assigned to assist with.

When Dean had finished the black painting, he moved on to the white. Eventually, Drew and Luna came down to visit him out of curiosity and ended up laying down on the floor while Dean worked. Of course, Dean didn't mind them there. He liked having their company as he painted. The white didn't take long to paint with, as he only needed it for the corners. Dean moved on to the light blue next, painting some leaves on one of the walls with sure strokes of the paintbrush.

Castiel was impressed with what the three martial artists already knew. He could see why Brian wanted him to give them tips, though. Their form was a little off as well as their posture, which helped with balance. The ex-officer had them stand in front of him, facing his direction. He shoved their shoulders back to show them that their balance wasn't right as they caught themselves from falling. "Just make sure to keep your feet planted on the ground with your arms in front of your face, guarding it. And bend at the knees a little. You all have the strength with your techniques, your form was just a tad off. Let's have a mock sparring match real quick with some grappling."

Dean finished the painting process and decided to let it dry. He figured he'd go ahead and get lunch for Castiel even though it was a bit early. The blonde left the house, locking the door behind him and starting his car, getting in and beginning to drive. He'd decided the day before that he would get a burger for Castiel, so he drove to a Five Guys and acquired that there. He decided to go on the safe side and get a hamburger for Castiel, but he didn't get anything for himself because he wasn't hungry. After that was done, he began the drive to Castiel's workplace.

The man was about a foot taller than Castiel and introduced himself as Dwayne. He was a black belt in karate. Cas smiled and got in the proper stance for sparring and allowed Dwayne to throw the first round of punches. Given that this man is a black belt, his jabs were harder to dodge, but thankfully Cas managed and threw a few to parry Dwayne's. The opponent dodged them as well. Kicks were thrown in by the black belt, and Castiel had to sidestep and block with his arms to avoid getting hit.

When Dean had finally gotten to the building, he got out and peered at it for a second before going in with the bag of food. He could hear commotion from a nearby room and assumed there was a spar going on. He approached the front desk, and the lady directed him to the place that Castiel was in. Spectators were watching a fight with Castiel and another guy. Dean went in and leaned against the wall, watching too. A man approached him and introduced himself as Brian, and Dean shook his hand.

Dwayne took Castiel's advice to heart, and his balance was much improved as he sparred with him. They were on an equal level of expertise, and the mock match seemed never-ending. Castiel paced his breathing with every dodge and parry he executed. Searching for some kind of opening, his blue eyes finally found one, even if it was a risk.

Once Dwayne threw a right-hand jab, Castiel twirled on the ball of his foot, so the jab went over his shoulder from the back. He grabbed the arm of his opponent and used the momentum to able to toss him over his own body and put Dwayne into an armbar hold. He sighed and caught his breath before helping Dwayne up and patting him on the back, praising at how he listened to his advice on balance and equality with strikes.

The spectators started to clap, and Dean clapped too. That had happened so fast, it was unbelievable. Dean didn't necessarily understand or process what had just happened, all he knew was that Castiel had just taken this guy-who was taller than him-down. He looked towards Brian, "I have no clue what just happened, but that was awesome." He spoke, chuckling.

Brian laughed and turned to him. "Are you a good friend of Castiel's?"

That question caught Dean off guard, and for a few moments, he didn't know how to answer it.

The ex-officer wiped his forehead off with a towel before walking over to greet Dean and Brian. "Hey, Dean. I'm happy you decided to stop by. It looks like you chose an exciting moment as well." He chuckled.

"Interesting thing you did there." He commented with a nod. "I brought you lunch." He added, lifting the bag up for Castiel to grab.

"So you two must be good friends, then," Brian commented from where he stood. Dean met Castiel's eyes, unsure how to answer that.

Castiel honestly thought Brian wouldn't care if he knew that they were dating. If he had an issue than Cas would not be working in a place that wasn't accepting of every part of him. He smiled and nodded at Dean to thank him for lunch before smiling at Brian. "Actually, we are dating. So terrific friends, you could say." He lightly jokes.

"Well, I think that's amazing," Brian replied.

Dean exhaled a breath he didn't know he'd been holding in.

"People really should be more accepting of LGBTQ+ people. We are all human." Brian added.

Dean nodded, smiling. "I absolutely agree with you." He spoke, and looked at Castiel with a nod that said, 'You picked a good place to work at.'

The ex-officer shrugged his shoulders with a smile agreeing with himself. His eyes turned to Dean. "Do you wanna eat together? I've got a small break, and then I'll be out of here in an hour. I could try and explain to you about the move I just did, haha."

"I didn't get anything for myself because I wasn't hungry, but sure, I'll sit down with you. When your break is up, I'm going to head home because I have a couple of last things to do with the studio before it's finished." Dean spoke, looking around the place before looking back at Castiel.

He nodded and guided them to a small room where people took breaks in. He pulled a chair out for Dean before sitting down and opening the bag to find a burger. A smile plastered on his face. "You know. I thought this was what you had in mind when you winked at me. Thanks a lot." He said before he began eating.

Dean smiled at him and sat down, patting Castiel on the shoulder lightly. "Oh, it's not a problem. I owed you from bringing me lunch yesterday. And really? Man, sometimes I literally think you can read my mind." He confessed. He realized it was actually quite chilly in the room, and he exhaled slowly as he tried to rub his arms to generate heat.

If Castiel had a jacket, he would've offered seeing as how Dean was trying to get warm. He swallowed his bite. "I think they tend to keep it cooler in here because people get sweaty from their workout and come here to recharge their energy. That's what makes sense anyway."

Finally, getting some heat into himself, Dean rested his elbows atop the table. "That does make sense. I'm also surprised that no one recognized me out where you and that guy were sparring. But I am sort of relieved that I wasn't recognized as the freakin' godly rookie of basketball." Dean shook his head, chuckling softly. He liked the recognition, but it was still annoying sometimes.

"I know I would get annoyed with it after a while. I was amazed as well, but I bet it was a nice change, you know?" He was halfway through his burger and it was so delicious. "Oh, you're probably wondering what happened out on the floor. What I did to my opponent I was sparring with. It's a grappling technique. You basically use the person's momentum against them."

"Yeah, it is a pretty nice change. While I do like being a sensation, as the public calls it, sometimes it's a little too much for me." Dean spoke, tapping his fingers. He looked at his watch. "Oh, yes! Tomorrow's a Tuesday...do you know what that means, Cas?" Dean asked, looking at him with excitement in his forest-green eyes.

A chuckle emitted from Castiel's mouth as he saw Dean light up with excitement. He always thought Dean was adorable when he got giddy over anything. Now that his left eye was clear, the brightness in his green eyes showed even more. "Hmm, it's one of your games, right?"

"Heck yeah, it's one of my games!" Dean spoke, standing up and doing an exciting dance on the balls of his feet. Then he sat down. "Ahem. Don't mind my major excitement, the dance used to be so much more sophisticated in high school-oh, you wouldn't believe it. The whole team would do it with me. It was super complicated, too, haha." He chuckled at the memories.

As he finished off his burger, Castiel raised his eyebrows and rested his chin on his left hand. "Well, isn't that adorable? I need to record that sometimes to watch it whenever I want to. Maybe I'll do it without you knowing, and it'll be my little secret. You'll know I'm watching it if I'm looking at my phone and laughing." He teased his partner.

Dean looked at him, a fake face of horror on his features. "Oh my gosh, I'm so scared of you taking videos of me." He spoke sarcastically, a smirk playing on his lips and amusement glinting in his green eyes. "My God, I'm not going to survive! I'll die if you take a video! I'll die for all eternity!" He added, raising his voice a little at the end for full effect. "Seriously, though, please don't do that. I don't want to have to hold your phone over a cliff." Dean half-joked.

The ex-officer grinned at Dean's antics. "Oh well, we wouldn't want to have that, now would we? I can't have you die for all eternity. Me and the pets will be lonely. If I take the memory card out first, then you could hold my phone over a cliff." He winked while smiling.

He stared at the ex-officer down before sighing and giving up. "Dammit, Cas." He muttered, sitting down again. Dean looked at his phone for the time, "We should both depart now, I imagine." He spoke, standing up. The blonde nearly yawned but suppressed it, helping Castiel stand. He pulled him into a tight hug for a few seconds before pulling away gently. "You have a good rest of your day. When you come home, I might be taking a nap, haha."

"And I might join you and snuggle up beside you when I see you taking a nap. If there's enough room, of course." He smiled and ruffled Dean's hair up. "I'll be home in about an hour and fifteen minutes. When you wake up, I'd love to see the progress in your studio. I'm sure Luna and Drew have been helping." He commented as he started guiding them out towards the main room.

"Oh yeah, those two have definitely been helping," Dean muttered. He set a hand on Castiel's shoulder and removed it, pressing a swift kiss to his forehead before departing, walking out the door and to his car. The paint would be dry by now, and he could finish everything in an hour and fifteen minutes. He was sure of it. Smiling, he started the ignition of his car and was driving again.

Cas touched his forehead, where Dean left a kiss before departing. He blushed and walked back into the room to the three people he was assigned to. They seemed to all be back from their breaks as well. Taking a swig of water before setting the bottle down, he walked up, and the woman asked if he could show her any combination moves.

Smiling, Dean drove along, stopping at stores to grab the supplies he needed. When he got home, he thankfully had nothing to clean up. He let Drew out to do his business while he began to put up the posters he'd bought. The studio was really coming along, and Dean was exceptionally proud of it at the moment. He finished with the signs and let Drew back in, and the puppy and Luna resumed watching Dean's work.

Castiel started throwing combos that the woman, Jennifer, was able to follow with ease. Right jab two times, left hook, dodge, right hook, dodge, front kick. He was happy with her persistence in getting that down correctly. Cas encouraged all three of them to put their brains to work and come up with their own combos as long as it was balanced with fists and feet. This group seemed to be getting along well, and he appreciated that they listened and were respectful to each other and him.

Fifty-five minutes passed, and the studio was finally finished. The guitars were set up on stands. There was a drumset near that, a mic with a stand, and an amplifier. Dean had even moved in a keyboard and a piano. He was exhausted, and Castiel would be home in twenty minutes. So Dean went upstairs with Luna and Drew to take a nap. He was under the covers and asleep with the pets curled up against him before you could blink.

The clock was almost up for Cas' job, so he finished up with the trio he was assigned and thank them for stopping by. He decided to go to the bathroom and freshened up a little by relieving himself and splashing water on his face. Castiel let Brian know that he would be back tomorrow morning and that he would be attending a sports game with Dean. Trying to be mindful of his partner, he didn't lead on that Dean was a sports champion at this point. Once he got in his car, he sighed and was satisfied after his first workday. He ignited the engine and started his drive home.

Just like any other time, Dean didn't dream, just was surrounded by that familiar black void of sleep. He knew he needed to sleep well so he could be at peak performance for the game tomorrow, just like anyone else on his team. The blond was sleeping well already, but he wasn't fully asleep as he had to be alert for anything that happened in the house. The other reason for not being asleep entirely was that Castiel wasn't home yet.

Fifteen minutes later, Castiel arrived at their house and was ready for a hot shower. He slid the key in and unlocked the door allowing himself inside. No sign of Dean. He must've been upstairs taking a nap. Their bathroom was connected to their bedroom so he quietly went up the steps and whispered to the lump under the covers. "Hey, I'm home. Just going to take a quick hot shower to wash off the sweat."

"Alright, you do that. I'll be here." Dean mumbled from under the blankets, having heard the other's words even during sleep. He shifted himself so he was more comfortable, lifting the covers from his head as he moved. Luna stood up and curled up into a ball under Dean's chin, which Dean didn't mind.

Cas smiled, seeing the sight before heading to the bathroom. He turned on the hot water and grabbed some fresh clothes from their closets. He carefully shut the door and undressed himself to step inside under the heated water. A quiet sigh escaped his lips due to how soothing the water was to his muscles.

Dean opened his eyes for a few seconds, contemplating something for a few moments before closing them again. He sighed softly before really falling asleep, hearing the shower running even as he did. For some reason, it reminded him of the next day's game, but the reminder was pushed away as he slept deeper. A dream came to him, but it was actually a nightmare. He was running through a thick pine forest, and some large creature was chasing him.

The ex-officer lathered up his hair with shampoo and rinsed his messy hair as he sang a tune in his head so he wouldn't wake Dean up. Today was an excellent first day at his new job. He genuinely enjoyed teaching people how to defend themselves against offenders or just touch upon moves. It'll be a good fit. He grabbed the body wash and cleaned himself everywhere, then rinsed himself off before turning off the water. Grabbing a gray towel off the rack, he dried his body and changed into some comfortable clothes.

The nightmare was making Dean's body tremble, as all did for him. In the vision, Dean tripped over a tree root on the ground and fell face forward, landing with a hard thump. He got up and sat, turning around and backing up, only to have his back strike a tree. The creature creeped towards Dean. It looked like a moose with arms and hands with long fingers for antlers, and a misshapen cloaked black head with glowing white eyes. Dean knew what it was called, but couldn't recall the name of it.

As he exited their bathroom and put the towel in the basket, he heard the sound of soft whimpering. Castiel's brows furrowed, and he went back inside their bedroom, seeing Dean tremoring under the covers. He was having some kind of nightmare. Deciding to be gentle, he nudged him on his shoulder as he walked over to his side of the bed. "Hey. Dean, it's me. You're having a nightmare."

The pets had long since moved away from Dean and were sitting, staring at him as if he were an alien. Dean stared at the creature in his nightmare as it got closer to him. "Jotunn..." He spoke the creature's name, and as he expressed it, it came out of his mouth in the real world as well. The beast seemed suddenly angry when he spoke its name, and it stood on its hind legs, preparing to kill Dean with its front legs when Dean let out a shrill scream in both worlds and opened his eyes, sitting up, breathing fast.

"Hey, hey, hey. It's okay. You're not dreaming anymore. I'm here. Everything's okay. Promise." The ex-officer didn't want to embrace Dean right away since it can be jarring from a nightmare, and that might scare him even more. Instead, he stood by him and rested a hand on Dean's left shoulder, speaking in a calm voice with a concerned look in his eyes.

Fresh fear from the nightmare made him shiver, and he couldn't stop shaking after it started. Just the image of the Jotunn was scaring the Hell out of him, and he couldn't erase it. The glowing white eyes was what was getting at him most. For a few seconds, he started breathing faster, but he tried his best to calm himself down. He fixed his gaze on a specific point on the wall ahead and took in large shaky breaths. His body shook with each exhale.

Seeing the look of pure fear on Dean's face made his heart sink a bit. He didn't recognize the word he said in his nightmare. Maybe it was a different language? Cas saw that Dean was trying to control his breathing, so he decided to take deep breaths beside him, hoping to assist more. He removed his hand from his shoulder in case that was too much stimulation right now. Cas had nightmares before, even night errors, at what point. He could sympathize with what his partner just experienced.

Slowly, his breaths evened out and became less shaky until he could breathe normally again. But his gaze was still on the point on the wall ahead. Blinking, Dean turned to Castiel, looking at him for a few seconds. "Sorry about that...I saw something that you would not want to see." He spoke, his gaze flicking to the right before looking back at Castiel. The blonde reached up and scratched the back of his neck, a sign of nervousness in him.

His facial expression softened. "Don't be sorry, Dean. It was a nightmare, and those are terrifying." Since he was calmed down now, Castiel slid himself next to Dean and gave him a light pat on the back. He scrutinized Dean's body language as he could tell the ex-prisoner was still a little anxious about the whole thing. Whatever he saw, he hoped that Dean would never see in his nightmares again.

He leaned his head against Castiel's shoulder and suddenly knew his brain had tapped into something. Dean knew that in a vision, like when he'd seen Sam, the body language and words could be seen or heard in both reality and the said dream. Visions usually became real or something very close to real. Dean lifted his head from Castiel's shoulder, his gaze fixed on the wall still. A few moments of silence unfolded, and Dean knew then. The Jotunn was real, one way or another, there was no logical explanation needed. Dean had spoken its name aloud in reality, which could 'call' the creature to the person who'd spoken its name. It would kill someone who said it, as it was forbidden unless you wanted a deathwish. He realized all of this, and he trembled slightly. "Ah, fuck. What is the name of Hell did I just do?"

When Dean lifted his head off of Castiel's shoulder and questioned himself, Cas was a little confused. "What you've done? Something with the dream just now? The only thing you did was say something I've never heard before... You're shaking again, Dean." His eyes looked intensely at him trying to figure out what Dean meant when he said those words. "What did that word mean?"

The ex-prisoner jumped off the bed, looking out the window and closing the blinds, and closing the door. Shaking, Dean looked at Castiel. "That word is the name of a creature. If someone says the name of that creature, it will track them down and kill them. I don't know why I know it will just kill you if you say it." His mind spun. He looked at the ceiling. "I'm going to die. I'm going to die. I said it, and I'm going to die." He repeated, shaking a little more violently as he spoke. Dean closed his eyes, trying to steady himself.

A supernatural creature was now going to find Dean and kill him? Not on Castiel's watch, it wasn't. Sure, he had never dealt with a monster before, but he was prepared to do anything. A person from the outside would probably call bullshit, but Cas knew Dean. Dean wouldn't lie and be this good at acting about this type of thing. It looked like he had a reason to show him what he had been hiding until a cause showed itself. He bent down at Dean's level. "I'm not going to let it kill you...Do I have to say the name to only further prove my statement?" He gave Dean a stern look." I've been keeping a few things hidden in our home, but it looks like I have a reason to take them out."

"Cas...no, don't say the damned name," Dean spoke, opening his eyes and grabbing onto the front of Castiel's shirt in urgency. "Don't do it. Not for me. You don't even know how to say it." He spoke, shaking his head, looking into his eyes. His expression grew serious. "Don't do a thing. Don't. Let it find me. Let it come after me. I can fight it, even if I die trying. It won't bother you if you do not speak its name. I warn you, Castiel. Do. Not. Try to stop it."

Dean was incredibly pressing this time about not getting involved. When he said something similar to Cas before going out to find his uncle, there was a different tone in his voice. Dean was being stern and begging because he knew that Cas would follow and protect him. He closed his eyes and sighed heavily. "Dean...Fine. Just let me do something. I absolutely refuse to sit here and ignore what you just told me. If you are on death's door, I'm stepping in. I can't sit and watch you get killed. That's terrible of you to ask me."

Castiel had agreed not to do anything but step in if Dean was on death's door. Nodding, Dean let go of Castiel's shirt and opened the door slowly. He didn't hear anything at first, so everything currently was fine. He walked along the hallway, looking around. Dean took another step and stopped in his tracks. A low, eerie roar sounded in the distance, but not that distant. His head snapped towards the sound, and Dean moved quickly towards the kitchen. It already knew where he was. He needed to get away from the house and put as much distance between him and the Jotunn. He quickly grabbed the longest knife he could find. "This is just going to have to work." He muttered as he threw on his coat.

Castiel watched Dean's movements and saw him grab a good-sized knife out of the kitchen. "Dean. Wait. Take this on you instead." He quickly went to their closet and reached his hand on the top shelf by using a box for extra height. His hand found a machete with a guard on it and he handed it to Dean. "So...should I follow, but keep my distance? I can't exactly sense if you're on death's door by staying here. I just need to grab one thing."

Dean examined the machete, putting down the knife. He held it at his side and looked at Castiel. "Yes, you should follow. But of course, stay your distance." Dean spoke, walking to the back door and waiting there for Castiel. Their pets would be okay, as the Jotunn would not come through the house. He heard the roar again, only closer. "Castiel, hurry." He spoke, looking behind his shoulder.

The ex-officer rushed into their bedroom and pulled back the first couple of floorboards at the entrance. Cas pulled out a case that contained an M40A5 Sniper rifle and a belt of rounds that he hooked onto his chest. He picked up the gun and hurried out to where Dean was. "Okay, I'm ready...And yes, I'm very good with these. I have between eight hundred to a thousand yards with this. I got it from the guy I'm friends with. He's in the military and the one who faked my death."

Dean eyed the sniper rifle for a second before opening the door and running out. He had to get a bit of distance between him and Castiel as well as the creature. Dean didn't stop running until he reached the edge of the woods. Looking behind his shoulder, he gave a nod to Castiel and continued running. An angered roar sounded in his ears, and the man knew the Jotunn had just passed the house and was now pursuing Dean. He knew Castiel must have seen it, and he wondered what he thought of it.

The ex-officer's eyes went wide after seeing what the Hell Dean was talking about. The thing was massive first off. About the size of a moose, so almost a thousand pounds. And the head? Grotesque. Stuff of nightmares. He shook his head, getting back into focus. Trying to gauge the distance between Dean, the Jotunn, and himself, he started jogging behind the creature when it wasn't in his vision anymore because of the distance. He could still follow the roars of the horror, and also his scope had an excellent range.

The vibration of hooves hitting the ground drove fear into Dean's heart as he ran, but he pushed on. It was gaining on him, he knew it. Suddenly, out of the corner of his eye, he saw what he thought were antlers swinging towards him. He couldn't get out of the way fast enough, and the Jotunn slammed its head into Dean, sending him flying to the side. Pain burst from where it had hit. He looked down at the site and saw some blood there. Glad that he'd somehow kept a hold on the machete, he stood again and found the creature standing only a couple feet away. The human and animal stared each other down, Dean shaking but prepared to fight.

Cas had stopped jogging and put the scope up to his eye so he could see what was going on. The massive creature had just swung Dean like a ragdoll onto the ground. He had to do everything in himself, not to fire, but he kept his word and stayed put. Deciding to load up the rifle, he slid bullets inside so that he would be able to fire more than one at a time and waste time reloading. He turned off the safety and planted his feet steady while getting into position to shoot when called for.

The creature lunged at Dean, and he dove for the ground, getting out of the way as the creature's deadly hooves slammed the ground where he'd been standing a second before. Taking advantage, Dean rushed forward with the machete raised, slashing it down the creature's right hindquarter. It swung its head around to face Dean, and his breath caught in his throat as it fixed him with glowing white eyes that stared right into his soul. He forced himself out of it and slammed the machete down on its head, which earned a kick in the face from a hoof. Dean fell, blood splattered the ground off the left side of his face. The weapon was knocked out of his hand, and it flew and landed a few feet away.

Castiel's breath hitched as he saw Dean at a disadvantage now. His face was bloody, and the machete was some feet away from his reach. If he was going to shoot, he needed to wait a few more seconds and see what Dean was going to do. If he hesitated, Cas would fire a couple rounds at Jotunn. He was confident he would damage it. He concentrated as he looked through the scope and allowed his bullets to start heating up.

In all his life, he'd never really used his powers. They were always trapped inside him, mostly unused. But now, as his life was on the edge, all of it was coming straight back. His eyes began to glow, and wings appeared on his back, feathery and black, as he stood to his feet and faced the Jotunn. The machete flew to his hand, and the creature rushed at him, only for Dean to flap up, out of the creature's reach.

Castiel had to do a double-take on what just happened. Wings just sprouted from Dean's back, and he pulled the machete towards him. He shook his head and started focusing again. Turns out somehow, Castiel wasn't the only one with tricks up his sleeve.

The creature below gave a roar of rage, and Dean lifted the machete. He dived toward the Jotunn and brought down the knife upon it. There was a light, and the ground shook. Dean crashed to the ground, landing on his back with his wings splayed out. He was unconscious, there were a few cuts on him. The Jotunn was gone.

Castiel started bolting forward and found Dean lying on the ground. His wings were remarkably beautiful. He wondered if his tattoo had any other connection to them. Cas did not sense any sign of that creature. Dean most likely ended up killing or maybe just banishing it away. Bending down, he lifted Dean up into his arms and started carrying him back home with the rifle on his back.

Dean very vaguely sensed someone carrying him, and one of his wings slightly dragging on the ground. He knew it was Castiel who took him, and the thought soothed him. Their troubles were over for now. He wasn't going to wake up for a while, but he was okay. The blonde slipped back into full unconsciousness.

As they reached home, Cas expertly used one arm to hold Dean and the other to pop their door open. Drew and Luna greeted them, and Castiel prevented the curious animals from tugging on Dean's feathers. Carrying him up the stairs, he laid him in their bed and pulled the covers over his body as he rested. He definitely deserved it. The blue-eyed man watched over him as he slid next to Dean.

He didn't stay like that for long. A few minutes later, he opened his eyes. Dean knew where he was and who was with him. "Cas..." he spoke his name. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you about this..." the Winchester whispered, folding his wings and looking at the ceiling. "I should've...I didn't...I shouldn't keep secrets..."

Castiel wasn't offended how Dean kept this a secret. After all, he had one secret he had been keeping from him as well. Staying silent, but giving a soft smile to Dean, Castiel outstretched his hand in front of him and allowed a flame to appear from his palm. "Well. Then I apologize also."

Dean gasped softly when he saw the flame appear on Castiel's palm. He blinked, staring at it for a few minutes, unsure of what to say. The man's green gaze went to Castiel for a second before giving a half-smile, and he lifted his hand toward the door, which was still open. His eyes flashed, and the door closed, and Dean let his hand down. "So...I take it that we've both had powers and known about them our whole lives...yet we never showed each other." He concluded, his wings unfolding slightly because of the nearby heat from the flame that Castiel controlled.

Cas smiled and made the flame hotter, turning it from orange to blue before snuffing it out by closing his hand. "Yes, I'd say that's a fair conclusion. The only one besides you who knows about mine is my friend in the military. His name is Nathaniel. That's only because he was there when I actually discovered it. He keeps secrets close to him thankfully. Otherwise, I'm sure the military would have come knocking on my door." Cas jokes. "So when did you discover yours?"

The ex-prisoner chewed on the inside of his lip for a moment. "It was after the basketball tournament in high school, my senior year before Sammy was killed. I was in the locker room by myself, and our team had lost, I was mad. I made a motion with my hand like I was throwing something down, and my bag, which wasn't even close to me, slid off the bench into the locker. My wings sprouted for the first time during that too. I never used the powers again after that." Dean explained, looking at Castiel.

"It appears that the discovery of our abilities happened because of emotions. Maybe there's a connection to that. Your secret is safe with me, of course." Cas notices that he was almost sitting on Dean's feathers and scooted over a tad. He didn't want to hurt him. The feathers looked strong, but they were still feathers.

"Maybe there is a connection." Dean agreed, nodding. He noticed that Castiel moved over a bit and he folded his wings and let them disappear. Smiling, Dean reached out and pulled Castiel close, resting his head on the other man's chest. "I hope we won't be seeing the...you know, again anytime soon. I actually felt guilty when I banished it away." Dean confessed, looking at the wall.

The ex-officer smiled and gently played with Dean's hair. "I can see why you would feel that way. The creature was only doing what it was suppose to do, right? Even if it meant ending your life. I planned on using my powers to fire flaming bullets at the creature. I was hearing them up as hot as possible without melting the gun when you flew upwards." He laughs softly. "But, if it does come back, it won't know what hit it."

"I remember seeing a mark on its right shoulder." He spoke. He shifted so that he was in front of Castiel, and lifted the sleeve of his right shoulder. The same mark he'd seen upon the creature was on his shoulder. "I also remember that the thing hesitated for a few moments before charging me. Cas...I think me and that creature have some kind of...hidden connection..."

Cas tilts his head, seeing the mark on Dean's shoulder, lightly touching the mark, careful not to hurt Dean just in case. "Its going to come back eventually then? Will you...try and control it? I'll back you up."

He nodded. "Yeah, it'll come-"He was cut off by a low growl from outside, in the backyard. Already? "...back." Dean finished, his gaze flicking to the window. He carefully got away from the bed and looked out the window, seeing the creature standing there, facing the porch. "Okay, then. That's...not creepy at all."

Cas smirks and follows, as he looks at the creature. "Oh hello, just your friendly neighborhood creature...Yeah not creepy at all. I'll go grab the rifle again just in case." He bolts back upstairs to grab the sniper.

Dean sighed and approached the back door, feeling the creature staring at him. He looked at it for a few seconds and then looked away. "I suppose it's time for a firsthand analysis of how idiots die." The ex-prisoner muttered to himself and put his hand on the door handle.

Doubling checking to make sure the rifle was locked and loaded, Cas turned the safety off again and came back downstairs. He positioned himself on the other side of the room and aimed at the door. He looked through the scope while talking to Dean. "Are you inviting it into our home? I'll fire only when you give me a signal."

"Of course, I'm not inviting it into our home, Cas," Dean spoke, opening the door and stepping out, closing the door behind him and taking a step forward. The Jotunn kept its glowing white eyes on him as Dean took careful steps forward until he was off the porch and standing a few feet in front of the massive creature. He looked at the mark on its shoulder and then his own. "Alright. I suppose you're not here to hurt me." He spoke quietly, looking back at the creature with piercing green eyes.

Seeing Dean walk out and shut the door behind him, Cas got to his feet and walked towards the door, peeking out the front window at what was taking place. He was curious as to what Jotunn wanted if it was not here to harm Dean. Did it respect him now because he temporarily banished it?

He stared at the creature before, suddenly, its appearance-well, its head started changing before his eyes. "What the hell..." he spoke. When the change was over, the Jotunn's head was more deerlike, still bearing the glowing white eyes, though. There was now fur covering most of its body. It was a disguise for the creature, so it wasn't as suspicious-looking. It was interesting enough, but Dean didn't question it.

As the creature started changing its form, Cas suspected that possibly it didn't see Dean as a threat anymore. More so as an equal. That was a good thing, right? He stayed put and allowed Dean to have control of the situation. He feared that if he went outside, it might alarm or upset the Jotunn into attacking again.

The crisp fall air made him shiver, but the ex-prisoner paid it no mind. Dean stretched out his right hand to the creature, shaking but sure of himself. The Jotunn snorted, and Dean quickly looked away in retaliation, preparing to be attacked. But instead, he felt something touch his hand. He felt fur and warmth, and he looked at it, exhaling in relief.

A soft smile appeared on Castiels face watching the interaction between the two. Jotunn seemed to accept Dean since it was allowing him to touch its fur. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all. Jotunn could technically guard the house while they were gone, but Cas imagined it would do as it pleased as well. He thought that it wouldn't fully become domesticated, so to speak. It was still a supernatural entity, maybe even god-like.

"Okay...alright. I'm not going to die then." Dean spoke to himself. He stroked the creature's coat gently and looked behind his shoulder at Castiel. He waved his hand, telling him silently to come out and meet the new addition to the family. The blonde gave Castiel an encouraging smile, just in case. He wouldn't be telling him to come to meet the creature unless he was sure it wouldn't hurt Cas.

Blue eyes see Dean motion him outside. Deciding it would be best to not take the rifle, he turns the safety back on and sets it down on the floor. Opening the door, Castiel slowly walks out and stands next to Dean with his hands at its side, being cautious to keep the creature calm with his presence.

The ex-prisoner removed his hand from the creature's face. It turned its head toward Castiel, growling softly. Dean put his hand on its chest and looked at it. "No threat." His tone was stern. "No threat," Dean repeated, removing his hand and slowly lifting Castiel's, making sure his palm was facing up. The whole time his green gaze was on the Jotunn. When Dean removes his hand from Castiel's arm, the creature put its head forward and rested it gently on his hand. Acceptance, some say, is a relief of fear.

Once Jotunn carefully placed its head on Castiel's hand, a smile appeared on his face. It seems that Jotunn managed to see him as a peaceful human being. If the creature were to attack him, Cas knew Dean would put a stop to it immediately and explain to it that he wasn't a threat. Cas let out a soft sigh, realizing he had been holding in a breath since he stepped outside next to Dean. He allowed Jotunn to get used to his touch and smell before deciding to gently give it a head rub on its forehead area.

Dean smiled softly as he saw the interactions between the two. He wondered suddenly how he would name the Jotunn since he didn't know the gender, and suddenly, he heard a voice in his mind.

'Dean. That's what your name is, correct?' A masculine voice spoke inside his head, causing him to look at the Jotunn. It couldn't be anyone else.

'Yes.' Dean answered.

'Good. You and Castiel here are who I've been looking for.' The Jotunn answered.

Dean's mind reeled. "So apparently he-yeah, he-is speaking to me in my mind," Dean spoke to Castiel, looking bewildered. The Jotunn gave a noise that sounded much like a laugh. "H-hey, don't you make fun of me," Dean spoke, pointing at the creature.

Castiel tilted his head, and then a laugh formed after Dean acting like a child pointing the finger at a sibling. "Heh, looks like you two are getting along. You're already pointing the finger at him. I like our new friend already." He thought that the reason Dean could hear Jotunn and not himself was because of the shared mark they had. It was probably something you needed to be able to form a bond with the creature. "What's he saying to you?"

"Well, he said to me, and you are the ones he's been looking for. I'm assuming that means he's been looking for someone or a few someone worthy enough to be his master." Dean replied.

'You're right. I chose you and him because both of you were willing to fight back, and you were the one who banished me for a little while.' The Jotunn spoke.

"Apparently, since I fought back, I was worthy enough to be his master, so that's why I have the mark on my shoulder," Dean repeated to Castiel.

"Ohh, okay. That's why I assumed you two had matching symbols." He then turned to Jotunn and asked, even if he couldn't hear the response, "Since we fought back and Dean is your master now, what do we do? You are a very powerful creature and I assume you wont fully bend to the human race. Do you have something you need from us?"

The massive creature looked at Castiel before answering to Dean, 'I will depart to the forest, as it is my home now. If both of you ever needed me for comfort or anything similar, Dean can call me.' It spoke.

"He says that he will go to the forest and that I can call him here to one of us or both of us for anything we need." Dean translated to Castiel. Jotunn dipped its head, and it changed back to its original form. Then, it turned away and ran into the nearby forest with that eerie roar Dean would have to get used to hearing.

After Jotunn departed back into the forest where it belonged, the darker haired man stared a bit before turning to Dean. "Well. That went better than I expected. I suppose it's a good thing he's on our side now. I give credit to you, of course, since you're the one who banished him. At least he didn't attack and possibly destroy the roof over our heads."

"Yeah, I agree. I think Jotunn will be a good companion to have with us. Come on, I'm getting cold, and it's getting late." Dean sighed, grasping Castiel's hand and leading him back to their house. Once inside, Dean looked back at the forest and swore he could see Jotunn staring back at him. Smiling a little, Dean sat down on the couch and suddenly noticed that blood had caked on his face from the earlier fight.

Castiel hadn't even noticed the blood on Dean's face. His mind was too focused on other things. Letting go of Dean's hand, he went to the kitchen and grabbed a washcloth, peroxide, and hot water. He knelt down in front of Dean's face. "Let's get you cleaned up and see if you have any cuts." Gently taking the washcloth, Cas brushed it up against Dean's face allowing the hot water to soak in.

He winced and sucked in a breath through his teeth as the hot water made a huge gash on his face, going from his jawline to his scalp, burn like fire. He'd been lucky that hoof hadn't taken his eye out. The water dripped down his neck and chest, soaking his shirt, but he didn't care about that. Dean reached out and grasped Castiel's wrist, gently and loosely, for a few seconds before removing his hand.

"I don't mind if you grab my wrist. I know this hurts like Hell." He examines Dean's face more closely, looking at the gash. He purses his lips together. "Are you against me giving stitches to you? They're clear threaded ones."

Dean knew the stitches would be for the best. "Go ahead." He spoke. He trusted Castiel enough to let him give him stitches, obviously. Stitches, especially on the face, hurt. A lot. Sighing softly, he looked at the far wall for a few seconds before looking back at Castiel. Dean prepared himself for what was to come.

"I'll be right back then." He gives Dean a light kiss on the forehead and goes to a cupboard in their kitchen that he used to stash medical supplies. Rummaging around, he finds the stitches, a curved needle, gloves, and lidocaine with a syringe. He had purchased the numbing injection before they even moved in considering all the incidents that happened to them. Humming a tune, he washed his hands with hot soap and water before putting on the gloves. Sitting himself down on the couch, he pulled the coffee table closer to him so he could reach over and grab what he needed. "Feel free to death grip my leg or something, this peroxide and the lidocaine will hurt the most."

The ex-prisoner looked sparingly at everything on the table and then at Castiel. "I've had everything from a needle on my back to burns and knives, every second of ninety percent of my life, and emotional pain," Dean spoke. "But you're right, I should hold onto something. Don't accidentally kill me if I scream and hit some kind of high note." He joked lightly, putting his hand on Castiel's leg.

"I'm well aware, but I just didn't want to surprise you with your nerve endings on your face going crazy, since there's a lot of them there." He gives Dean a pat on the hand before pressing a washcloth coated in peroxide onto the gash counting to fifteen seconds and soaking anything that drips down with another towel he had grabbed.

He clamped his jaws shut to trap a yell in the back of his throat, his grip on the other's leg tightening a little. His eyes closed tightly, and a shudder passed through his body. Dean made no noise, trying to make himself seem stronger than he really was. Already, his jaws ached, and he knew this process was going to be long and merciless to him.

Cas' blue eyes appeared before Dean's face. "I know you're strong, but feel free to use language. I just can't have you move your head too much is. You're doing great so far. I'm going to prick you a bit to numb the skin before stitching. Stick and burn as they say." Castiel took the syringe and quickly poked the area around Dean's gash letting the lidocaine set in to take effect.

Dean suppressed another yell as the lidocaine set in, burning like dry ice. He'd give anything to have someone else doing this because he hated being weak and in pain in front of Castiel. He hated showing his distress to him, hated it with a passion. Dean knew that Castiel must know this already, although he was unsure if he really knew or not. Agony spread a little more on his face, making him mostly blinded by the pain.

Cas paused and took a moment to observe Dean's reactions as the numbing medication set in. He was trying incredibly hard not to show it was painful. Dean wasn't even squeezing Cas' leg that hard. He furrowed his brows, debating on whether it's just because of him or possibly because of his past and that he never wanted to show how much pain he was in.

"Just need to stitch you up, and then you're all set, Dean. If I was in your position, I'd personally be shedding a few tears." He smiled and lightly jokes. Taking the needle, he swiftly pokes through the skin and begins expertly stitching up Dean's gash closed as quickly as possible. Satisfied, he makes a tight knot to ensure they don't come loose.

While the stitches were being put in, Dean had taken his hand off of Castiel's leg. After the stitches were finished, Dean didn't open his eyes, but his jaws released a little. His breathing evened out again and went back to the average pace. He knew the agonizing process must be over now, and he opened his eyes then. Despite holding them back, tears made the green in Dean's eyes seem like it almost sparkled.

Taking off the gloves and gathering the trash, Castiel chuckled. "Thank you for coming to my clinic. I hope I don't see you back here again, Mister Winchester." Opening the trash can up in the kitchen, he piled the trash into a separate plastic bag before placing said bag into the garbage.

Dean chuckled softly. "Yeah, well, who knows if I will or not at this point." He muttered, leaning back on the couch. He didn't even know there were tears in his eyes until they started to go down his cheeks, silent, and a reminder of the pain he'd just endured. Dean stared up at the ceiling, holding back sadness emotions. He knew very well he shouldn't be holding back emotions, bottling them up, but here he was, doing it anyway.

The ex-officer walked over and sat down on the couch next to Dean. Cas furrowed his brows and gently turned Dean's head towards him with a soft hand. "Dean. Why do you hold back your emotions? Is it me or because of what you've endured from your past?" He asked while looking into his emerald eyes.

"It's both..." He managed to choke out, holding back a sob. "I hate being brought back to those memories. And I despise with a passion showing my pain and my weakness in front of you. I hate it." Dean spoke, more tears going down his face, but he was still holding back the sobs that ate at him to let out. "It makes me feel worthless," he dropped his gaze. "...when I cry and show pain in front of you." His voice was a low, pained whisper.

Cas' heartfelt, sad hearing those words that Dean expressed. He wasn't sure how to word what he was feeling, so he took a moment to think about it. He scooted closer and wrapped Dean in his arms. "Believe me when I say that I don't think you're weak for showing your pain in front of me. I've never thought you were weak, even when we were in prison together. You're not worthless to me, and I know you're not worthless to your mother or Sam. If you want my opinion, I believe the strongest people cry in front of others because it causes vulnerability. People cry alone or don't cry at all because of judgment or self-doubt."

He wrapped his arms around Castiel, pulling them as close together as he could, needing his comfort. Dean buried his head onto the crook of the other's neck, letting his tears flow but not making sounds surface beyond his lips. He knew Castiel would be there and hold him for as long as Dean needed. The green-eyed man curled his fingers gently into the other man's darker hair, careful not to hurt him.

This moment was bittersweet for Castiel. He was happy Dean was getting some emotion off of his chest, but he didn't enjoy seeing him cry. He loved him, after all. Cas rested his head softly on top of Dean's and hugged him a bit tighter, nuzzling his face into the other man's hair. He would hold Dean all night if he needed it; they would just end up falling asleep on each other anyway.

After a little while, Dean had stopped crying and was now just staying there in Castiel's embrace. He then felt with his mind something reaching out and trying to soothe him a little more. The blonde realized it was Jotunn comforting him. The extra support eased him, and soon, his muscles relaxed fully, and he closed his eyes, his breaths evening out as he began to fall asleep in Castiel's arms.

Castiels' eyelids were getting heavy, and he noticed Dean's breathing pattern had changed into a more balanced one. He was fast asleep. Cas decided that they should just sleep on the couch for the night. Taking hold of Dean in his arms, Cas laid back and placed Dean on top of him for the ex-prisoner to use as a makeshift bed while he used the couch. His blue eyes closed, and within a few minutes, his body began to slip into the dream realm.

Dean did happen to feel the movements of himself being moved and Castiel moving as well and knew they would be staying on the couch for this night. Sighing gently, he allowed himself to slip into sleep, and to his surprise, he woke up in a dream. It was a tranquil one, with him, Castiel, Drew, Luna, and peaceful looking Jotunn, all sitting together in a meadow, watching nothing in particular.

The ex-officer dreamt of nothing in particular. He had flashes of memories that were good with Dean and their time together. Then his mind flipped to a scene where Luna and Drew were adults and chasing each other around playing tag. He smiled a little watching them.

The next morning, the sun didn't come out, but the skies were grey and unforgiving. Dean didn't wake up, as Castiel was always the one to wake up and then wake him up. He'd not shifted throughout the night, his head lay on Castiel's chest while the rest of him was partially on him or in some crevice in between Castiel's body and the couch. Despite how it looked, Dean was actually quite comfortable there. None of them knew it had actually snowed a few inches during the night.

A soft sigh escaped Castiel's lips as he felt his watch vibrate on his wrist. He reached over and touched it with his finger to turn it off. Looking down at Dean, he smiled softly, seeing him so comfortable and at peace. He hated that he had a morning of work to do because he didn't want to wake his partner. Trying his best to scoot off the couch, but not moving Dean, a bunch, he managed to squeeze out and looked for any signs if he stirred him awake.

Dean didn't feel a thing from Castiel's movements. He only turned onto his side with a soft murmur. He would not wake up for a few hours yet, as he needed as much sleep and energy he could get for today. Dean was not dreaming at this point, just hanging about in that familiar void of sleep. He adjusted his head on the couch cushion, and Luna jumped up and curled up next to him while Drew lay down near the couch.


	10. Chapter 10

The ex-officer had woken up a bit earlier than yesterday, so he had more time to fix breakfast. He decided to make a knockoff breakfast sandwich. Slices of bread filled with ham, cheese, and hashbrowns. He grabbed the ingredients out of the fridge and decided that since Dean was aware of his power now, he'll use it to his advantage.

To cook the potatoes faster, he bent down and shot a small, blue flame out of his finger. With how hot the fire was, the potatoes started to crisp within two minutes. Satisfied, he built the sandwich since nothing else needed to be cooked.

A few moments later, Dean woke up because of the smell of fire and food. He sat up, stood, and made his way to the kitchen. Using his telekinesis powers, Dean got a glass out of the cupboard, filled it with water, and brought it to himself. Watching Castiel, he sipped at the water, the tiredness slowly going away from his eyes. His green gaze went outside, and he stopped mid-sip. Jotunn was standing there, partially hidden by a tree, staring at him. Dean gave him a nod of greeting and continued to sip his water, turning his gaze back to Castiel. "It snowed."

Cas perked his head up once he heard Dean's voice. "Good morning Dean." He flashed a smile. He saw the glass of water in his hand and figured he used his power to do that as he was too concentrated on his sandwich to notice. Once he was done, he realized that his head felt...lighter? That was the best way he could describe it. Cas tried to tap into what it could be as he was cooking earlier. Pausing for a moment, he grabbed his sandwich and looked at Dean. "Why don't you step outside for five seconds and look at the snow? Tell me what you see out there."

Dean looked at Castiel, and shrugged, setting down his glass of water and stepping outside, careful not to step in the snow. Closing the door behind himself, he let out a breath, watching it form to a vapor cloud in front of his eyes. The snowfall, fluffy, cold, and white covered everything in view. The air had an icy chill to it, and Dean found himself shivering as he stood there. It was silent, the trees were still and lifeless looking as they had no leaves now. His green gaze skimmed over the landscape one more time, and then he went back inside. "Everything looks pretty lifeless. There's a lot of snow, though." He reported. Dean's mind felt a bit hazy, but he didn't notice it.

A head tilt was earned as Dean willingly came back inside and followed Castiel's suggestion. He wondered if Dean even noticed what had just happened. Cas didn't think Dean would usually step outside and then report the weather. "Dean. Did you realize I just used the power of suggestion on you, and you willingly obeyed it without question?"

His head snapped up, and every hair on the back of his neck stood up as he heard what Castiel told him. "W-what?" he stuttered, his shoulders tensing. Dean looked at the ground, then back at Castiel, disbelief clouding his eyes, then looking back at the ground again. "Why the fuck did I let myself-" he abruptly cut himself off.

Cas thought for a moment. "I think it's because you were open to it. For example, if I say: Take your clothes off and run outside. You won't be doing that because your subconscious is not open to that...Huh, this might come in handy. I just figured it out this morning." He explains before munching his sandwich.

Dean sighed softly and lay a hand on Castiel's shoulder for no reason in particular. His senses detected a creature nearby. He looked out the back door to see what it was and found Jotunn standing at the entrance of the porch steps. "Holy hell," Dean spoke, taking his hand from Castiel's shoulder.

Moving to the fridge, he took out two steaks. "You're gonna have to teach me to hunt so I can provide for him and us." He spoke to Castiel, taking the plastic wrap off the meat and opening the door, tossing them outside to Jotunn for him to eat.

"It looks like we will have to go over to the shooting range so I can you acquainted with different types of hunting rifles. You can't exactly kill a bigger animal with a handgun." He chuckled while wearing his sandwich. "You could try, though." He looked at Jotunn for a moment as he started eating. "He... doesn't eat humans, right? Even if he kills them? He just likes meat?" He eyed the clock and saw he had ten minutes left before he had to get on the road.

"True, a handgun wouldn't work well to kill an animal like a deer," Dean replied, and heard Castiel's question. He walked toward their closet, opening the door and grabbing a book that looked like it had over three hundred pages in it. Dean opened it and flipped through some pages, and found the section of a chapter he was looking for. The title of said book was 'The Big Book of Supernatural Creatures and Powers.' He'd bought it shortly after he and Castiel had moved in together, thinking it had been enjoyable.

His green eyes scanned the page for a few more seconds, and then he let out a soft "A-ha!" and pointed at the sentence. "'Jotunns do not normally eat humans, but they will not hesitate to spear them up in trees if they are not accepted by it, or chosen to have the privilege of worshiping it or dying. The human bodies put up in trees by this god are never taken down, and the sight can be quite gory.'" Dean read aloud.

Castiel walked over after finishing his breakfast and stood next to Dean while looking down at the book. "Well, at least I don't have to worry about getting speared up into a tree. That's one thing I'll cross off my list." He chuckles. "This is a cool book, though, where did you find it? All of these cryptids look so interesting...Since Jotunn exists, I wonder how many of these are real?"

Dean chuckled. "I found it at a bookstore. All of them exist, most likely. If a god exists, they must too. Apparently, this book also has info on angels and demons, which is interesting." He spoke, flipping to the pages. "And I'm pretty sure Jotunn wouldn't spear you to a tree. He might be a god, but he doesn't need us to bow to him. Funny how I'm his master." Dean spoke, chuckling softly.

Cas smiled at Dean's comments regarding him being Jotunn's master now. Dean certainly looked proud about it; how they conquered a god and got it on their side as a guardian, so to speak. "I'll have to look at the book later after your game. I have to be leaving now for work, but after your game, I'd enjoy seeing the music studio." He patted Dean's shoulder before going upstairs to change into more athletic attire.

Smiling, Dean closed the book and set it on the counter. The game was a couple of hours away, so he was free to do whatever at the house by himself. Carefully making his way downstairs, he saw Luna at the last step and shooed her upstairs. He then waited by the door for Castiel before he left. He wasn't about to let him go without a hug at least, because that was just Dean's personality.

The darker haired man brushed his teeth quickly and messed around with his hair until it looked decent enough. He grabbed a fresh pair of underwear, some black sweatpants, and a blue t-shirt with an abstract graphic design on the front to change into. Satisfied, he walked downstairs and put on his gym shoes and grinned when he met Dean at the door. "I'll see you at the game if I don't meet you back here. Brian said I could leave early if I had to. He's a big sports fan I found out. I didn't tell him about you, though; I wouldn't want to cause unnecessary attention to you."

Dean nodded and kissed his forehead lightly, slipping a front-row VIP ticket and twenty-five dollars into Castiel's back pocket in the process. Pulling back, he smiled at Castiel and put his hand on the door handle. "I'll see you either here or at the game, then," Dean spoke, taking his hand in Castiel's and intertwining their fingers, lifting a hand to cup his cheek while brushing his thumb over it lightly. He smiled at him, his gaze silently wishing him well for the day.

Cas' cheeks got a little warm as they gazed into each other's eyes. He lifted their hands and gave a soft kiss on the back of Dean's. He leaned in and whispered. "I do remember your love for pies. I'll make you one after the game to celebrate." Before pulling away, he nuzzled Dean's cheek with his face leaving another gentle kiss.

The green-eyed man blushed lightly as he heard Castiel's words. But that did sound good-he wasn't about to lie. "I'll be looking forward to that," Dean replied softly, smiling at Castiel. "Alright, now out you go, I don't want to make you late for work. That wouldn't be too good." He spoke, planting one last kiss on his forehead and gently leading him outside. "Be careful you don't slip on the ice and have a good day at work," Dean spoke his last sentence before squeezing his hand gently and letting go, closing the door behind himself as he got back in.

The ex-officer nodded and waved back behind him as he carefully tiptoed ice patches. Wait a minute...there was a more straightforward solution now that this wasn't a secret between the two of them. Cas quickly bent down and touched his finger on the ice patch, allowing a small flame to zoom across the ice and melt it all away, so he didn't have to worry about breaking a hip. He smiled and got into his car and started off to head for work.

Dean decided to go downstairs into the studio room to try and do a cover on 'Enter Sandman' from the band Metallica. He made Luna and Drew stay behind because he didn't want them to be scared by the noises from the room. Outside, Jotunn was in the front yard, watching Castiel's car go down the road slowly, with interest. He was only curious as to where the human might be going, and he was thankfully in his less nightmarish form.

Cas bobbed his head to a tune inside his mind he was making up along the drive. He caught a few red lights along the way, but he arrived to work on time. Hopping out of the car and locking it once he turned off the ignition, he felt a pair of eyes on him. Turning around, within the treeline, he saw Jotunn curiously watching. Castiel didn't know what else to do besides wave a little to let him know he acknowledged his presence. He'd definitely have to get used to that now. Heading inside and greeting Brian, Cas was assigned to an older gentleman who was a war veteran. The name of the man was Dereck.

Jotunn gave a nod to Castiel and walked away, back to the house, where Dean found him and gave him a "never to do that again or else you might die" kind of a lecture. Afterward, Dean went to the studio room, and Jotunn just lay out in the yard, watching Drew play, as Dean had let him out. The creature didn't seem to be bothered by the little puppy, but he just kept his eyes on it. Dean began the drumming process of the cover first, knowing it was more comfortable, or for him, it was anyways.

Cas does a less intense routine with Dereck because he has a fresh prosthetic leg he just had readjusted. His heart went out to the man. Dereck was still friendly and polite, even with the pain he must be going through. They sat on the ground and did various stretching exercises to help keep muscles loosened while doing a light regime of jabs and punches for the upper body.

About an hour passed. Dean was finished with his first cover and had put it all together in a program on his laptop. He wasn't supposed to go to the game for another four hours, and Castiel wasn't coming home until about an hour and a half. Dean was excited to show him his first cover, especially since it was a Metallica song he'd covered. Smiling, Dean stood up and decided to give himself a break.

The house that Dean and Castiel owned was isolated and a while away from any civilization. They had no neighbors. So they could use their powers and have Jotunn with them freely without any problems, which was a good thing. Dean grabbed his coat and boots and stepped outside to the chilled winter air.

Dereck had only signed up for a short session. Understandably so. Castiel helped him up and onto his feet and wished him farewell. He decided to take a water break since his throat was a little parched. His blue eyes watched the other trainers work with their assignments, and they looked like they had been working here for a while. Cas looked at his watch. He had another short session with one other person, and then he would head back home to see if Dean had left yet or not.

Dean walked off the porch, and he smiled as he saw Jotunn standing and approaching him. The creature looked almost tired. Dean could suddenly feel a tendril of his mind tapping into another. He knew he could speak to someone on the other side, but he didn't know who. So he took his chances, and through his mind to the other, spoke. 'Hello?' Dean spoke softly in his head, transferring his voice to the additional presence as only as he and the Jotunn could do.

Before Castiel stood up to stretch his legs, he heard a soft 'Hello?' echo on his mind. He furrowed his brows in confusion but felt something in his brain, tapping like you would when you're asked to be let in by someone. Thinking he was a little crazy, he responded with a mental response. 'Dean?' Admittedly, that couldn't be him, he definitely heard things.

Dean gasped when he heard Castiel's voice transfer back to him. He smiled. 'Cas? Holy shit, am I actually talking to you mentally? This is crazy!' He replied mentally, a tinge of excitement in his mental voice as he spoke. He lifted his hand and put it on Jotunn's neck, stroking the silky brown fur. Dean was happy that he was actually talking to Castiel, actually talking to him mentally. It was really a relief to him.

'Oh, good. I am not going crazy while at work. I thought possibly the water had something in it, and I was hallucinating. It's nice to hear your voice, though. You always put a smile on my face.' He teased. It was really amazing how now they could talk to each other telepathically. Cas wondered what triggered this to happen. Maybe Jotunn had played a part in it?

A chuckle transmitted through from Dean. 'Well, it's nice to hear your voice too, Cas. It makes me feel safer to hear your voice." He admitted truthfully as he patted Jotunn's neck and walked away, going back inside and beginning to attempt starting a fire in the fireplace to get warm. 'I sure do wish I had your fire powers right now.' Dean spoke mentally to Castiel as he tried to light the cardboard with a lighter.

'You're trying to start a fire? In the fireplace, right? I would hope you wouldn't accidentally start one.' He laughed softly in his head, thinking about Dean and his fire safety. His eyes spotted his next assignment, and he went back to Dean. 'My final assignment is here, but I'll be home within the hour. The day is a bit slower compared to yesterday.'

'Of course in the fireplace, Cas. I wouldn't have the sense to accidentally start one.' He joked lightly. 'A-ha.' He has started a flame. Dean threw some paper in it and then placed some kindling over the cardboard and paper, making sure the fire got hot enough to burn the fuel before he could set a split log on it. 'You ah, have fun with your last assignment then. I'll see you when you're home.' Dean spoke back to Castiel, shutting the fireplace door slightly to still let oxygen in to feed the flame.

The ex-officer greeted the new person who walked up to him. She was a woman who wanted to review some basics since it's been a long time since she had done any type of self-defense. Her name was Teresa. Cas started off by showing her the basic punches and kicks, and she was able to get into a rhythm as he monitored her form and balance.

Dean went ahead and sat on the couch, and waited for a little while, putting the split log into the fire after about fifteen minutes. He decided to go downstairs and strum a tune and practice some guitar riffs since he was bored.

About an hour passed, and Dean knew Castiel would be home in a few minutes. His heart warmed, thinking about that. He looked out the window and notice Jotunn walking over to the front yard where he'd stood earlier that day. The funny thing was, the creature was actually watching the road ahead for signs of Castiel's car. Dean smiled; that surely meant that Jotunn cared for Castiel as much as he cared for Dean.

Once Cas was finished with helping Teresa out, he went to the bathroom to relieve himself and filled up his water bottle at the water fountain. He waved goodbye to Brian and headed out to his car. On the drive home, he noticed more birds than there typically were this time of year. They probably just hadn't all flown south yet.

As Cas turned into their driveway, he chuckled softly, seeing Jotunn in their front yard. Hopping out after turning off the car, he stepped in front of him and gave him a smile and a nod before heading inside to see Dean. "Hey. It looks like our friend enjoys watching us throughout the day. Surprised me this morning when I saw him in the treeline at my workplace."

"I wouldn't be surprised if he does. Interesting that he followed you all the way to your workplace-sort of." Dean spoke, standing and making his way to Castiel. He stopped when he stood in front of him, taking his hand. "It's nice that we can talk mentally as well as physically," Dean admitted, pecking Castiel's nose gently. "How was your day at work?"

Smiling, Cas returned the peck with a soft kiss on Dean's cheek. "Slower than what you saw. I was assisting a war veteran and a lady who wanted to review the basics. Not a lot of action you could say, but at least I was helpful." He looked into his green eyes. "I was surprised when I heard your voice, but it's a comforting thought to be able to speak with you that way."

The ex-prisoner nodded. "Yeah, at least you were helpful. That's always a good thing." He agreed, returning the soft kiss with a gentle one placed upon Castiel's forehead. "It is comforting to know I could still hear your voice from far away. I wouldn't survive traveling games if I couldn't know how you were doing or if you were alright." Dean spoke.

"I would love for you to show me the studio before we leave for your game." He flashes a smile of excitement. "Show me what magic you've created downstairs. Have you recorded anything yet?"

Dean raised an eyebrow and smiled, gently leading him downstairs. Everything was set up as he'd left it, and the computer was off. Sighing, Dean turned it on, and the cursor was over the play button as his finger hovered over the keypad. He made sure that the speakers were on before turning to Castiel. "You ready?"

As Cas was led downstairs by Dean, his eyes took in everything he had done with the place. The walls were painted nicely, and instruments, along with equipment, were set up correctly. He felt happy seeing Dean put a lot of effort into it. He knew this was a particular hobby for him. "I'm ready." He said as he anticipated the first recording.

He sat down in a nearby chair, making sure it wasn't too loud. Dean pressed the spacebar on the keyboard of the computer. The cover of the song started playing, and Dean found himself nodding along. The riff was actually pretty good, Dean reflected. His voice, beginning to sing the first few lines, came as a surprise to him. Dean nodded his head in approval. He'd done right, to his surprise.

Once the music started playing, Castiel instantly recognized it as the song he first heard Dean jam out to in his prison cell. He smiled and moved his head side to side to the beat. Dean did an excellent job of having everything play out smoothly and accurately to the original. As Dean started singing along to his cover, Cas' ears perked up as Dean's voice was smooth, but still had power in it.

Smiling, Dean stopped singing, allowing the cover to play by itself. He was definitely proud of himself for it, but he didn't let it show. He reminded himself he'd have to practice metal singing so he could do singing covers. When the song was over, Dean turned off the computer and looked to Castiel. The ex-prisoner merely shrugged, not thinking much of it.

Blue eyes were sparkling at how good he thought the cover was. He gave a slow clap to show his perspective. "I very much enjoyed it. You put a lot of effort into it, and I thought it was terrific. When you started singing, although it was not a 'metal' voice, I quite liked the way your voice went with the instrumental." He smiled at Dean. "You don't give yourself enough credit, you know."

He chuckled. "That is something anyone experienced can do. I don't need that much credit." Dean replied. "But thank you, Cas." He added after a moment. He gave him a warm smile, closing the computer and walking over to Castiel, holding a hand out to him.

The ex-officer gently laid his hand in Dean's and stood up from his sitting position. "I also love the paint job. Did you come with the design ahead of time? You might have to be the one to paint our house if it ever needs it." He chuckled softly.

The blonde pulled Castiel close. "Yes, I did come up with the design. As for painting the house, I don't think it'll need it for a couple of years yet." Dean spoke, putting his hand on Castiel's shoulder. "We should go back upstairs. I need to get ready for my game."

Cas nodded and took out the ticket Dean had given him from his back pocket. "I should probably change too. Something more appropriate, and it doesn't look like I just got back from the gym." He smiled and picked Dean up in his arms and started to carry them back upstairs. "Heh, I just decided I'd carry you back up to conserve your energy for the game." Castiel enjoyed carrying Dean, it was amusing when Dean's face would have that surprised look from not expecting it. Though, he was sure Dean could say the same thing for Cas as well since they could both pick each other up with ease.

Chuckling, Dean grabbed onto Castiel's shoulder and held there. He was blushing but smiling. "Cas!" He exclaimed, pressing his head gently into his chest. The ex-prisoner did, admittedly, enjoy it when Castiel picked him, even when unexpectedly. It was pretty much regular in their house. Sighing, Dean closed his eyes for a few moments while Castiel carried him up the stairs.

The darker haired man laughed softly and set him down once they reached upstairs. "I enjoy it too much when I catch you off guard. Glad you enjoyed it though, haha. Let's get changed for your game now, I don't want you to be late." He smiled and took Dean's hand in his as he guided them to their bedroom.

"I know you enjoy that. One of these days, I'll be the one to catch you off guard." Dean spoke, smirking lightly and following Castiel to their bedroom. He caught a glance out the window and found an unusual sight. Jotunn was literally playing with Drew outside. Now that was an exotic sight to see, but it was yet, surprising that the two different species and ranks got along so well. It was quite a shocker, but yet proof that equality was still existent in the world, no matter how bad the world got.

Cas saw Dean go over to the window and walked over as well to see what was going on. He smiled as they saw Drew and Jotunn playing together. It was quite adorable. "That's cute. Looks like their friends..." He took a closer look. "Wait...is that Luna on top of Jotunn? She's on his antlers, you can only see it at a certain angle..." He points at the moment as he grins. "There!"

His eyes followed Castiel's finger, and unlike him, he was actually quite afraid for the fragile being on Jotunn's antlers.

He ran to the back door, flinging it open, just as Luna was thrown off the antlers. Dean was afraid he wouldn't make it when he sprouted his wings and jumped at the falling kitten. He grabbed her in midair, and made a ball around his body with his wings. Dean landed, sliding across the ground for several feet and stopping. He hadn't had anything warm on, and now he was half-buried in snow. Feathers littered the land from the hard skid, and one of Dean's wing joints was bent at a slightly awkward angle.

As the scene unfolded, Castiel's heart sank. He felt terrible. Not throwing on a coat, he propped opened the window and leapt out of it, landing on the snow on his feet with his knees bent. He ran over and helped Dean up. "Dean...oh my god, I'm so sorry...That was idiotic of me. Gosh, I feel so bad." He looked over at his wing that looked dislocated. "I...okay, let's get you inside." He quickly walked Dean inside to get him warm.

Snow trailed after Dean as he walked himself inside with Castiel, and it turned to water from the heated air from the fire located in the fireplace. Agony shot up his injured wing, and Dean lost his footing from it and fell, his vision going in and out of focus. He picked himself up, off the ground, and moved forward to the couch, where he sat down and tried to grasp his surroundings. 'It hurts...dear god, it hurts...' He spoke mentally to Castiel, afraid to open his mouth because of the pain.

Cas swallowed as he sat next to Dean and looked at his wing. 'It looks dislocated... You'll hate me for this, but I need to pop your joint back into place.' It was clear every part of Dean's wings were sensitive to touch, so it's no wonder he felt like he would pass out from the pain. 'I promise I'll be quick. It resembles an elbow joint at least...Just give me a signal.'

He was unsure about this, but he couldn't just leave his wing like that. The ex-prisoner knew that would not be a smart idea on his part, and that only an idiot would do that. He was not an idiot. He was Dean Winchester.

Eyes shadowed Dean, looked at Castiel, and gave him a nod of consent. 'Go ahead. Do it.' He spoke mentally to him, clenching his jaws as another wave of pain washed through him.

Castiel nodded and carefully placed his left hand above the elbow joint, on the side opposite of the base of his wing. With his right hand, he placed down lower to where he felt the bone ended. In a fluid motion, Cas made a popping noise with a flick of his wrist from Dean's wing joint going back into place. He had dislocated his shoulder before and that hurt like Hell getting it back to where it was supposed to be.

None of his nerves had expected the pain that came with the joint being put back into place. It hurt probably twice or three times as much as a natural human joint dislocation-relocation process. His wings were the most sensitive part of his body, and it was enough to want to die, feeling the pain. Dean let loose a drawn-out noise that was like a cross between a yell and a screech of agony, suddenly grabbing Castiel's leg and squeezing as hard as he physically could at the moment. Tears stabbed at the edge of his vision, and the steady throb that executed after the relocation only made them flow hard, and he squeezed Castiel's leg harder, not knowing how much he might be hurting him with his iron grip.

When Dean gripped Cas' leg, his gaze shot down because of how strong it was. It was good he had a high pain tolerance, but this only showed how badly the pain was, not to mention Dean's noise of suffering he made. If anything, Cas would have a fresh bruise from the vice grip on his leg, but that didn't matter to him. All he was focused on was relaxing his partner. Carefully resting his head on the back of Dean's neck, he wrapped his arms around his torso, making sure not to touch the recently popped wing. He tried to assist Dean through the shockwave by doing deep breathing exercises up against him. 'Breathe in...and out...In...and out.' He instructed through their mental connection.

Dean did the breathing exercises with Castiel, the grip on his leg slowly loosening until Dean took his hand away. Knowing that his grip would leave a bruise, Dean cried a little harder. 'I'm sorry, Cas...' he apologized through his mind. 'Oh, I'm so sorry for hurting you...I feel so guilty, dear god, this is why I can't be with someone as kind as you...I hurt everyone I get close to eventually. That's how it's always going to be...'

Castiel shook his head and placed his right hand gently over Dean's mouth even though he was talking through their minds. He spoke out loud to him in a little more harsh voice as he rested his head next to his ear. "Dean...You need to stop blaming yourself. I told you before you could grab whatever part of me you needed to anytime you need to get through pain. You would allow me to do the same. It is okay if you get a little rough because of that; it is a normal pain response. I am not mad at you, I am happy that I was able to pop it back into place...Do you understand my words?"

Suddenly, some part of his emotions snapped right in half. Dean pulled back and moved himself a few feet away from Castiel. "No, I don't understand your words." He spoke out loud now, anger taking control of him. "I don't understand. You want to know what else I don't understand?" Dean paused before continuing. "I don't understand why you can't just let me blame myself and let me degrade myself. Why? Why can't you just let me do that? I don't get it, Castiel." He spat the name like it was venom. "I don't goddamn get it."

The ex-officer's chest felt heavy hearing Dean's words. Then it clicked, not that it hadn't before. Dean has spent so many years belittling himself because of all the bullshit he has had to go through in his life. Speaking kindly of himself was a foreign concept almost. Castiel didn't care how his name dripped off of Dean's tongue. The harsh reality was that Dean was going to have to dig himself out of his frame of mind that he's been used to. Cas could only encourage him. "I know how long and how much you degrade yourself daily even if you don't say it out loud. I'm not ignorant. You believe that you deserve it because that's all you've had in your life, and now me, someone who actually gives a fuck about you and hates seeing you in pain, comes walking in and shows you kindness. Because you deserve it." He sighed and looked back up at Dean. "Maybe someday you'll accept my words, if not now. But I can tell you two things. I will never stop loving you, and I will never hurt you like those people did."

"Kindness?" Dean recoiled at the word. "Kindness?" He spoke now with a little more urgency. "You think I deserve kindness? Of all things, you think I deserve kindness?" He leaned forward, fury sparking a flame in him. "No. You're wrong. I'm wrong. We are both wrong. You don't deserve someone like me, someone who murdered two people, I don't care if they were trying to rip my throat out. You're wrong to even slightly love me. Don't try and convince me otherwise, Castiel Novak, because you know it too. You know you're wrong. I know I'm wrong. So don't sit here and tell me that I deserve shit like fucking kindness!"

Unfortunately, the truth of Castiels words weren't going to reach Dean. He was too angry and emotional to think clearly enough to even listen to him. He stood up and walked towards the steps that led up to their room before turning around to face him. "Yes. I know you deserve it. You can call me an idiot for thinking that. Call me whatever names you'd like because you know damn well deep down inside, even if it's just a sliver, you know we deserve each other. Otherwise, you would've run off when you first jumped out of prison. But you waited nearby because you know I'd follow you...You are welcome for fixing your wing, by the way." He headed upstairs to change into more appropriate clothes for the game tonight.

He stared after Castiel, glaring. The nerve! There were only thirty minutes, surprisingly, until the game was set to start. He'd changed into his uniform and put his regular clothes over it, so he was already ready to go. He folded his wings and let them disappear. "Fine. I'll be waiting in the car then." Dean announced roughly, grabbing his keys and going outside, getting into his car and started the engine. He sat there and waited, deciding only to think about the game.

A heavy sigh exhaled from Castiel's mouth after that event. He knew there was really nothing he could do except continue what he's been doing. Stripping off his clothes quickly, he changed into dark jeans and a different shirt to match Dean's team colors. Hurrying downstairs, he grabbed a jacket for each of them before slipping inside the passenger seat. "Ready when you are."

The blonde heard the passenger door open, then close, and Castiel's voice. He put his hands on the steering wheel and started driving without a word. Turning on the radio, he heard some kind of pop music. Letting out a low growl of frustration and anger, he switched the channel to a metal song that matched his mood perfectly. Dean turned it up and was content with it as he drove along, not glancing at Castiel once as he fixed his gaze solidly on the road.

Cas figured by Dean's behavior this was going to be a no talking car ride. At least there was music playing in the background, and Dean was content with the metal music. He decided he should gaze out the car window and let Dean get in the mindset for his game. On the way there, Cas decided to count how many trees they drove past on the passenger side.

Once at the stadium, Dean parked and turned off the engine. Getting out and walking towards the gates without a word, or even a glance, towards Castiel. He got in and went straight to the locker room, knowing Castiel had his ticket to get in, so he didn't bother. Inside the locker room, he changed speedily and sat on the bench to wait for everyone else, not speaking to anyone. This game would be a blur, but whether he would do good in it or not was very questionable.

In his mind, as he got out of the car and started walking towards his assigned seat, Castiel was going to give Dean motivation still if it was needed. Just a thumbs up and a smile, nothing over the top. This was always his big night, even if they argued, and he still wanted to be supportive and not have a stick up his ass...He remembered he was going to make Dean a pie after the game. He should probably just ask afterward in case it would trigger him again.

The game-as Dean had predicted-was a complete blur and went faster than usual for him. He'd refused motivation from anyone, even his own teammates. Dean hadn't done that well at all on the court, he didn't score anything, neither did he really get the ball a lot. Worse? His team lost, and bad too. A fifty-four to thirteen score had been final. Of course, Dean blames himself. After the game was over, he changed quickly, and just went to the car. He didn't even bother turning on the engine, he just leaned forward and put his arms against the wheel, and leaned his head against his arms.

Castiel followed suit outside and saw Dean clearly upset. He was definitely not going to ask about the pie now. That would be too much. He hops inside the passenger side and stays silent as Dean was probably beating himself up. Maybe the best thing to do would just be to keep quiet and only talk if he started the conversation first for the rest of the night. If he looked at him again, Cas would just acknowledge him with a small smile.

After a few minutes, Dean lifted his face from his arms and started the ignition, starting to drive. He felt like crying, punching a wall, punching the Hell out of something, and yelling. All these feelings you could see in his eyes, but he wasn't going to let them out. The silent drive ensued, and when they got home, Dean got out of the car when he'd shut it off. He unlocked the house, went straight to the bedroom, and proceeded to take a hot shower. After that, he put on fresh clothes and just sat on the bed, staring off into space.

The ex-officer sighed, seeing Dean immediately walk into the house. Instead of going inside right away, he walked around and out to the backyard where he found Jotunn. Cas decided to spend some time with him before heading back up to their bedroom and give Dean a little so he wouldn't feel crowded by Cas. He allowed his mind to connect with the beast. 'I'm sure you know what goes on in his head. I feel like I'm asking advice from a god at this point...'

'Well, you are asking advice from a god, mere mortal.' Jotunn replied mentally to Castiel. 'Dean is a strong man. He would not usually break like this unless something really bothered him. He did see something. I believe, during while he was in the locker room when his game was over, he witnessed himself beating you up in the most gruesome ways possible known to man. That's what triggered him so badly now. That's why he was upset and why he won't talk to you. He's afraid. Afraid of what he can do. He's afraid of hurting you. But Dean does not know how to really control his emotions because he doesn't have a chain to hold on to, to steady him. He needs you to be that chain, Castiel. Dean needs you more than anything right now. What he saw was not real, but he does not know if he can trust himself not to do that. So, Castiel, do something. Make him believe, in some way, that he is not who he thinks he is, that you still love him for his good traits and bad ones. Do that, and he'll have a way to trust himself. This rift between you two will close.' Jotunn explained to Castiel.

As Castiel listened to Jotunn in his mind, he was shocked at how insightful the advice was. He was expecting something more simple, but he was happy to know that Jotunn was that much more connected to Dean. They shared the same mark after all.

Cas nodded a 'thank you' before going off inside the house and walking up the stairs. He saw Dean staring off blankly; emotion weighing heavy on his shoulders. "Dean. We need to talk."

Several moments passed in which Dean debated on telling him to go or asking him to go ahead. But he knew they did need to talk. Dean let out a soft sigh of total zero emotion. He was good at hiding his real sheer horror at what he'd seen, and he thought Castiel didn't know about that. "What's the problem?" Dean asked bluntly, looking at the wall still.

Castiel sat on the edge of the bed. "No matter what struggles you're facing or what emotion you keep locked inside you, I think it's safe to say that we still always gravitate towards each other. I don't think of you as someone who's weak and needs fixing. I think of you as someone who has been strong for so long and is tired of it. No matter how upset you get with me, I know you'll never, ever allow yourself to strike me. You'd rather cut off your own hand before doing that."

Dean didn't look at Castiel, but he had to admit; what he said was true. "Alright. Suppose that's true. What are you going to do about me? I can't control myself. I don't know how to control my emotions. Castiel, don't you see you don't deserve a person like me? Come on now. And unless you can prove to me that you do somehow deserve someone like me and that I'm not who I think I am, then try it, holy Hell. I don't know what to do anymore."

Cas moved over and knelt in front of Dean while he was still sitting. "Then we will start with this. Go ahead. Take a swing at me. A really good one. I'm giving you permission." He closed his blue eyes to show that he had trust in Dean. "Right in the jaw would be best. I know you're still feeling emotions swirling inside you."

The anger came right back to him as Castiel gave him permission to take a good swing at him. But his other emotions barred it, making it impossible for Dean to know what he really wanted to do. At the same time, how would he really know how far his limits were if he didn't take one shot his whole life? He raised a shaking fist, but something stopped him cold. His father...no, he couldn't be like that. He couldn't do this. So he just hung there, fist raised, and an unsure look on his face.

The blue-eyed man felt the air shift when Dean actually raised his fist, but he kept still for him. He didn't even flinch. This was Dean's decision, and Cas wasn't going to influence it in any way. This was giving him a small chance to see who he indeed was deep down, even when his emotions were highly unstable. A quiet exhale left Castiel's nose as he continued to stay still in front of Dean. He waited to see what would happen next.

Dean finally made his decision. Clenching his jaw, he slammed his fist down on Castiel's face, right on the jaw. Blood sprayed the ground. Suddenly, everything went in slow motion. Dean realized what he'd just done, and shock pierced every piece of him. He didn't think he'd had it in him. A choked sob erupted from his lips against his will. "No...no...no, no, no...dear god no." His voice shook, and it was clear he was having a massive mental breakdown.

Cas wasn't expecting Dean to actually hit him, so his head swung to the side more than it usually would have. Dean had a good punch, that was a fact. He felt the warm blood on his lip and raised his hand to wipe it off. Standing up, he gripped Dean tight in close to him, forcing him to accept his hug. "I was the one who gave you permission to throw a punch. This is not your fault. Maybe that wasn't the best idea on my part. I am sorry Dean. I should not have put you in that position."

The ex-prisoner knew that he had no choice but to accept the hug Castiel gave him, which was surprising considering what had just happened. He wrapped his shaking arms around him, starting to shed tears. "I-it's my fault..." he whimpered, his whole body shaking from shock. "I was t-the one who d-did it." He choked out, a sob surfacing his lips. Dean really hated himself at this moment, and it showed. He shouldn't have done that, yet he had. He hadn't been able to control himself, and because of it, he could have hurt Cas even worse than already. He could not forgive himself for this, ever, because he couldn't, ever.

Castiel knew Dean was so upset with himself right now. However, that was another point. He was upset. Genuinely angry at what he had done. Just like back in prison. He rested his head next to Dean's left ear. "Dean. Please don't hate yourself. Even though you used your fist, look at you now. You are upset. You have feel guilty. Someone who is an awful person wouldn't feel that emotion...I think you know I'm right considering the people I used to work with twenty-four seven. I can't tell you how many times my life was on the line because of it." He placed a gentle kiss on the side of Dean's head. "Promise I won't give you that choice again. I shouldn't have done that to you. And I will say this once. You. Are. Not. Like. Your. Father. And I'm not like mine. We both had shitty fathers and I never knew my mother. But all that matters is who we are now. And I think you're a great person who doesn't believe in himself."

He was right, he was right. Dean repeated this in his head for a few moments. Dean knew he was nothing like his father, he knew that in his heart. He might've murdered two, but for a good reason. The blonde put his hand on the back of Castiel's neck, keeping him close. He pulled back a little to look at him, and he forced back a sob as he saw the blood drying quickly at Castiel's lip, and in a small trail down his chin. Sniffling, Dean lifted his thumb and gently wiped it away.

Cas smiled softly and tried to make a joke to ease the tension Dean was feeling. "But in all seriousness, I don't have to instruct you on a right hook. You did it perfectly. Not many people know the trick to keep your elbow nice and steady. I'll find other stuff to assist you with." He licked his lip where the blood was, and pressed his lips up against Dean's. He didn't move his mouth because he didn't know for sure if Dean was ready for a kiss yet.

All the shock, anger, and tension vanished in Dean as soon as Castiel's lips met his. The simple touch let Dean know that he was okay, they were both okay and everything was resolved now. Closing his eyes, Dean returned the kiss, carefully lifting a hand to cup the other man's cheek. He let himself relax, let himself instinctively react. He even took Castiel's hand in his and intertwined their fingers, squeezing his hand reassuringly.

A smile formed across Cas' lips as Dean returned the kiss. Dean's fingers went in between his, and a soft hand cupped his cheek. He was thankful Dean felt a little better now, but he knew this wasn't the very last time emotions would fire up within his partner. But Castiel would be there. He would give reassurance that everything was okay.

After all, if Cas was anything at all like his father, he would've straight up abandoned Dean and left him to suffer in his own thoughts. Cas placed his free hand in Dean's hair and closed his eyes, enjoying their blissful kiss.

He kissed Castiel for a few more moments and then broke the kiss, needing air. "I'm sorry, Cas. I'll tell you over and over, I'm sorry." Dean shook his head slightly. "But we're okay now, right? We're good." He spoke, slightly tilting his head in the way that Castiel did. It was just something he'd picked up from him and happened to memorize.

A breath of air went into Castiel's lungs when Dean broke the kiss, and he looked at him. Chuckling at Dean's mimicking of his own habit of tilting his head, he nodded. "I promise we are good. I'm happy you feel a little better, at least. So no more apologizing...I was going to make you a pie. Do you still want that tonight or another time? I've got apples or cherries."

The scene of himself punching the other male crept into his mind, and he closed his eyes to shut it out. "I'd prefer it another time. I doubt I can really eat anything at the moment." Dean confessed, opening his eyes and looking at Castiel. He opened his mouth to apologize, as he didn't like refusing offers, but remembered Castiel's words from a few moments ago and shut it. A sigh escaped his lips.

As Cas' eyes met Dean's, he gently smiled, knowing he was about to apologize again. "If you need to say sorry to feel better, that's okay, you know. I do that at times. It only becomes a problem when its excessive. That's when you end up putting pity on yourself." Castiel softly rubbed Dean's cheek for comfort and left a kiss on his nose.

Sighing, Dean leaned against him for a few moments, closing his eyes. The rubbing on his cheek soothed him, and for some reason, the thought occurred to him that tomorrow, both he and Castiel had a day off. Dean already had something planned for the day, and he was sure that Castiel didn't know about it. "What do you want to do tomorrow, Cas?" He asked, just to make sure. If Castiel wanted to do something tomorrow, Dean would find a way to fit it into his plans.

"Hm well, to be honest, I still need to step up my game in coming up with surprise things to do for us. I feel you are better at that." He chuckles softly. "Did you have something in mind?" He would hope Dean would say 'yes' because he enjoyed surprises from him. He didn't give enough credit to himself at the thoughts that were put behind them. It made Castiel feel unique and warm on the inside.

"Well..." Dean spoke, smiling softly. "Yeah, I had something planned. Quite a few things, actually. I may or may not have talked to your boss and my boss at some point today and got you and I a couple days off." He explained, lifting his head off Castiel's shoulder and looking at him. "I've got things planned, don't worry. You can add some things into the schedule, too, if you wanted to." He chuckled.

Castiels' eyes and ears listened to Dean carefully. Did he say he secretly talked to Brian without him finding out? A small laugh came out of Cas' mouth. "How did you get so sneaky and managed to talk to Brian without me finding out? I'll see what you have planned for us, and then I'll add something if I feel like it. In the meantime, I'll be plotting future surprises. Try and be sneaky like you." He smiled and rested his hands on Dean's shoulders.

"Oh, I have my ways, Cas," Dean spoke slyly, winking at the former officer. "I'll be looking forward to your...future surprises." He added, his eyes glinting in the half-light. "Now, you pack a bag with clothes and stuff for a week. I'm going to do the same thing, and pack the pet stuff." Dean spoke, gifting a quick peck to Castiel's cheek before gently getting out of his grip and getting a bag.

A week's worth of clothes, necessities, and pet stuff for a week? Now he was inquisitive about what Dean had in mind. Hopping off their bed, he grabbed a bigger sized duffle bag for himself and a backpack for the pets. Castiel took some shirts, underwear, jackets, and jeans off the hangers and folded them neatly into the bag. He also added an extra pair of boots to go along with his sneakers. In the morning, when he woke up, he would add his bathroom stuff inside as well.

Taking the backpack with him and down into the kitchen, he packed some toys for Drew and Luna as well as enough food for one week. A small bottle of pet shampoo wouldn't hurt in case they needed a bath. And some treats to reward them for good behavior.

Dean packed his week's worth of stuff as well, folding the clothes neatly to fit, and grabbing everything he needed except for his bathroom stuff. He'd get that in the morning. He also packed a cooler, with food, steaks for Jotunn, and some drinks. Where they were going, there wasn't usually food, you had to bring it there yourself. The place; he'd visited it a few days ago and cleaned it up, so it was ready for the visit. Sighing, Dean left the duffel bag he'd packed near the doorway and put the cooler near that, checking that it had enough ice.

After all that was done, he quickly went to the kitchen, beginning to prepare a meal since he had an idea in mind. The blonde also put on some 'Architects' music on his phone, singing along with it quietly as he made the meal.

Castiels' head perked up when he heard Dean come down and start working in the kitchen. He went back upstairs to grab his own duffel bag and came back down to put it beside Dean's and the pet food. Taking a look at their bags, he then turned to where Dean was and sat at the bar top, watching him cooking food. Cas tapped his fingers on the bar top along to the music that Dean had started playing from his phone.

He didn't realize that Castiel was nearby, so for a few moments, he stopped his cooking and pretended to do some riffs on an air guitar, and then went back to his food. Dean sang along to the song, his and the lead singer's voices blending perfectly. He knew now how to sing metal, which served him well since he could sing with all of his favorite metal songs. Letting out a "Blegh!" at the same time the lead singer did, he put some salt on the noodles he was cooking.

The darker haired man couldn't help but grin watching Dean in his more natural environment. He was quite the sight to behold when Dean didn't notice he was there sitting behind him. He rested his head on his left hand that was propped up with his elbow on the counter. He had to hold back a laugh when Dean intimated the singer's hard vocals.

A few minutes later, dinner was made, and Dean prepared the plates. He'd made spaghetti, just a more straightforward meal since they had to go to bed early so Dean could make where they were going a complete surprise. Turning the phone off and putting it in his pocket, he picked up the plates. He still didn't know Castiel had been standing there the whole while. "Cas! Dinner's-"He was abruptly cut off as he found himself standing face to face with him. Dean blushed severely, blinking. "...ready."

Castiel beamed and laughed at Dean's reaction. He enjoyed catching him off guard like he just did. Thankfully, Dean didn't drop the plates everywhere out of surprise. "Hello, Dean. I couldn't help but enjoy the show you were putting on while cooking. I give you five stars. Dinner and a lovely show, after all." He smiled mischievously.

The former prisoner blushed harder, biting his lower lip. "D-damnit, Cas." He muttered, walking away to put the plates on the table. Pinching the bridge of his nose, he got himself some water from the kitchen and looked at Castiel for a few seconds. He looked away with a small smile as his blush got darker and headed into the living room to sit down and eat. Although he allowed himself to regain his confidence.

Cas was pleased whenever he took Dean by surprise, and it showed with the smile on his face. Grabbing his plate and some silverware, he followed Dean and set the plate down on the table so he could pull it forward for them to use. Taking the plate in his hand and twirling a bite on his fork, he put the noodles into his mouth happily.

The blonde is his dinner in silence, giving himself a bit of approval for its decency. After he was finished, he got up and put his plate in the sink, rinsing it off. He did the same with Castiel's when he'd finished. Afterward, Dean sat down, a couple of feet away from Castiel to give them both some space. He didn't know what to do, so he just sat there in silence for now.

Cas played with his thumbs before looking up at Dean. "Thank you for making dinner. It was very delicious. I'm happy you didn't drop the plates when my presence surprised you." He smiled. "Um...hows your wing? It's not in pain anymore, right?"

He stood up, looking around the room to calculate the space before letting his wings appear on his back. Closing his eyes and letting his head down, Dean carefully spread them to their full length. Thankfully, the living room was more significant than his wings were long. He let them hang there for a moment, analyzing how much pain he could feel with the injured one. It was okay, he didn't feel a thing. "It's okay," Dean spoke.

His eyes sparkled as he saw Dean's wings in their entirety. They were magnificent. He slowly got up and moved closer to Dean's back to examine the feathers with his eyes closed. Each feather was perfectly shaped and not out of place. All he could with his admiration was whisper. "They're beautiful, Dean."

Dean smiled, letting his eyes open. He could hear the admiration in Castiel's voice, and it only made him smile more. "If you want to touch them, you're more than welcome to," Dean spoke softly. "Just be careful...they aren't just sensitive to pain." He didn't explain further, hoping Castiel would get the message.

A light blush formed across Castiel's cheeks as he was given permission. Reaching out with his fingers, Cas used the lightest touch he could muster and stroked Dean's feathers. They were the softest things he's ever felt. He imagined them as being a hot blanket in the wintertime. More like a poncho to Dean really, but a beautiful blanket to himself.

A shiver ran through Dean as he felt the gentle stroking on his feathers. He closed his eyes and felt himself relax, and he let his wings go a little more toward Castiel for him to better reach. Dean liked the feeling of the stroking, it made him feel safe and sound. It brought him back to the times when his mother would stroke his hair and hum a tune to him to make him fall asleep. It was a powerful memory.

Cas continued lightly stroking Dean's feathers. He saw his body instantly relaxed while he was keeping his motions. That's a good thing to know that it was a calming experience for him. He lifted his hand up, and gingerly went over to another patch of feathers closer to his back, using the same amount of pressure with his fingers.

An all-new sensation that he was sure he'd never felt in his entire life went through him like electricity when Castiel touched a place close to his back. Suddenly, out of instinct, he turned around, and in the blink of an eye, he had Castiel pinned against the wall. Dean blinked. "I'm sorry. That place sort of brought on some kind of new feeling I've never felt. This was an instinctual reaction. I don't know what that feeling is called though..." he searched in his mind for a word.

The former officers' face went bright red at what happened all too quickly. He had never seen a side to Dean like that before, which was intriguing, to say the least and left himself flustered a bit. Now they were so close in a mere blink of an eye. "Ha...its o-okay..." He swallowed while looking at Dean's face. Cas noted that now he was a flustered mess and couldn't form a sentence right now.

Eventually, his search was forsaken as he returned back to the real world. Being quite flustered himself, Dean looked away from Castiel, looking at the ground. He reached up and scratched the back of his neck, then looked curiously at his wings. He wanted to know what the Hell that feeling was. Dean tried to touch the spot Castiel had touched but ended up stumbling onto the couch instead. "Fuckin' Hell," Dean muttered into the cushions.

Cas watched as Dean tried to touch that spot again, but he ended up falling. At least he fell onto the couch this time and didn't hurt himself. Blinking, he walked over and stood over Dean. "A-are you okay? There was a soft landing thankfully. You still confused about your feelings?" He kept his hands at his sides to not accidentally touch Dean's wings with more force than necessary

Dean lifted his head off the couch slightly. "I'm okay." He replied. "I am still confused about that feeling." He admitted, irritation pricking at him that he couldn't feel it again because he couldn't reach that spot on his wings. He sat up, reaching back again but letting out a soft growl of frustration as he failed to reach again. Dean gave a small sigh and gave up, not wanting to strain his muscles.

Castiel debated on asking this question in his head. He wasn't sure if it was an okay one to ask Dean. However, he figured he would give it a shot after a small back and forth in his mind. "Um...I could reach it again for you if you'd like? Only if you want... They're your wings, after all. I wouldn't do anything without permission."

The former prisoner looked at Castiel for a few moments but nodded. "Yeah, of course. I can't reach it, but you can. Should've just known that." He spoke, turning so his wings faced Castiel. He stretched them out a little bit. "If I make some kind of freaky noise, I apologize ahead of time," Dean spoke softly, closing his eyes once more.

He nodded and gently brushed the same spot he had done before, with the lightest touch he had with his fingers. Cas held his breath a bit in case Dean reacted very strongly like he just did a moment ago. At least, he would be a bit more prepared this time. His blue eyes watched with curiosity at Dean.

The feeling that he couldn't come up with came back, and Dean found he enjoyed it. A noise pressed at his lips, but he bit down on his lower lip to keep it from getting out. He resisted a sudden urge to pounce on Castiel. This new feeling was very confusing, but it felt good. Dean pried at it in his head, still holding in the noise.

Cas couldn't tell from where he was standing what Dean was feeling. He didn't react in pain or anything negatively, so he figured that was a sign to keep doing his actions. He was probably still trying to put his name on the feeling he had earlier. Cas would do this as long as he needed to until he told him to stop for whatever reason. He couldn't help but enjoy Dean's silky feathers.

He thought hard for a few more moments before finally catching on to what he was feeling. "Ah, that's what it is," Dean spoke. He didn't say the name out loud because he didn't know if Castiel wanted to know or not. "Here..." Dean spoke, turning to stop Castiel and sit him down next to him. "You don't have to do that anymore since I figured it out."

As Cas was pulled down beside Dean, he stretched his fingers out from having them in the same position. He turned to Dean's direction. "Did you figure out what it was? I'm curious to know." His blue eyes looked into Dean's green ones. He found himself wanting to learn more about Deans's wings since they were genuinely fascinating to him. Perhaps it was because humans don't usually have wings that they can come up out of their backs. Well, Cas had fire. He could have whatever he wanted, but that wasn't a different body part. His was more internal.

"Yeah, I figured it out," Dean replied. "As for what said feeling it is, I believe it's called pleasure." He concluded, looking to the wall and back at Castiel. He'd never experienced any form of pleasure in his life, so it was very new to him. Dean folded his wings and let them disappear, not needing them anymore. He adjusted himself on the couch and decided he was okay there now.

As Dean told him what the word he was looking for was, Castiel's face got hot again. Having never experienced that feeling himself, but he knew what it meant. A very intimate and personal feeling when two partners are together and doing acts. He let out a nervous laugh and hid his face in his hands. "I can't believe I didn't figure that out..."

His ears picked up the other's nervous laugh and words. For a few moments he contemplated something, and then realized why Castiel was flushed. Dean looked to the left, turning his gaze to the floor. Indeed, his face was hot. Deciding this moment wasn't the best to talk, Dean stayed quiet, not knowing what to say.

Castiel swallowed and hugged his body with his arms looking at the floor. Even though Deam gave him permission for the sake of figuring out the word he was looking for, Cas still never wanted to make Dean feel uncomfortable in that type of that way. He exhaled a soft sigh before speaking. "I'm s-sorry...I didn't know what I was doing since I've never had that feeling."

"It's... i-it's okay. I think that was my fault since I let you touch my wings. It wasn't your fault in any way." Dean spoke, looking at Castiel for a split second and then looking back at the floor. He stood up and went to the kitchen to get himself a glass of water and sat back down at the couch with it. The blonde took a few sips of it, not daring to even glance at Castiel at this point.

This was an awkward silence moment if there ever was one between them. Understandably so. Cas wished he had ice powers right now instead of fire so he could make his face more relaxed. The blush didn't seem to want to go away on its own. After Dean got a glass of water, Castiel decided to head on over to the kitchen sink and turned on the cold water. He gathered some up in his hands and splashed it on his face, hoping it would help a little.

He tapped his foot on the floor, checking his watch. Eight forty-nine. For what Dean planned, they had to wake up early, so now would be a good time to go to bed. "Uh, Cas...we should go to bed now," Dean spoke, standing to his feet with the water glass. "We've got to wake up early for what I've got planned. The car ride will be long, though, so you'll want to sleep through most of it."

His head perked up as he turned the faucet off. That's right, they had their surprise trip Dean planned for them. At least, he was a bit more composed after splashing some water on his face. "Oh, right. I'm excited to see where you take us. I can be your co-pilot if you need to. I wouldn't want to leave you doing all the work while I sleep." Cas comments as he heads towards the stairs to go to their room.

"Ah, no. You're going to sleep, or I'll find a way to make you sleep." Dean declared, starting for the stairs too. There was a joking tone in his voice as he spoke. "Seriously, though, I know how to drive. You should sleep. Really, you should. It'll be like, a four-hour drive, and we will be waking up at three tomorrow morning. So I suggest you sleep the ride. I don't want you to be tired." He added, getting up to the room in a jiffy.

Cas nodded at Dean's suggestion of going to sleep in the car. He headed up to their room and realized he was still wearing jeans, so he grabbed a pair of sweatpants and changed real quick before sliding into their bed. "You're not thinking about putting chloroform up my nose, are you?" He smiled and joked before settling himself underneath the covers.

Dean laughed at his joke. "Ha, no, I'm not. Even if I had some, I still wouldn't do it." He spoke, changing into some sweatpants as well and slipping into bed next to Castiel. He stared up at the ceiling, thinking. Dean went over the plans for the week in his head. He had them all in order and memorized, and he closed his eyes.

"That's good to know. I wouldn't either." He got himself comfortable and laid on his side, facing Dean as he usually did. Closing his eyes, he wished him goodnight before trying to drift off into a slumber. It was probably the anticipation of their week that was making it a little harder to do so.

He smiled and felt himself drifting off to sleep, at the last moment remembering to set his watch to vibrate. He could pack the rest of Castiel's things for him. Dean fell into a comfortable sleep, starting with a dream of him flying. He soared high like a bird, and he even felt that Luna and Drew, still little, were on his back.

Fire filled Cas' dreams. He was the one in control of it, and he moved with the flames in powerful motions. The flames were a mix of orange and blue. The average person would probably find this dream unsettling, but since he was well acquainted with fire, it was peaceful. The dream was almost like a reflection of his internal self.

In his dream, the pets on his back disappeared, and Dean dived down, suddenly attracted to the water down below him. He stopped, lifted a hand, and was surprised by the fact that the water's surface rippled, and he found himself being able to control the water. A sentence repeated in his mind, 'Water and fire will combine, to create an undeniable force.' He kept hearing the verdict until he felt the vibrations from his wrist. It was already time to wake up. He opened his eyes, turning off the waves and getting out of the bed, careful not to wake Castiel.

The former officer was still in dreamland. As the flames danced around his body, he found the fire came closer and engulfed him entirely. No pain was felt, only a comforting warmth. Cas was sure that trying to stand in a raging fire was a bad idea. Sure, he could control fire away from him, but as far as being completely immune to it was a different story.


	11. Chapter 11

Dean quickly packed the rest of their things, got everything into the back of his truck, put on a coat and boots, got the pets into the backseats of the car, put a jacket and boots in the backseat for Castiel, and finally went back upstairs to pick Castiel up and bring him to the truck, putting him in the passenger's seat gently and buckling him up. Lastly, he checked that the doors were locked and that Jotunn was ready to follow them. It was still dark, so when Dean got into his truck and shut the door, the dashboard lights turned on.

Cas stirs a bit in his sleep, feeling something move him around slightly. He shifts some and readjusts his sleeping position, curling up into a ball. Humming softly, he still has his eyes closed, but his sleeping pattern is lighter than it was before.

He made sure the heat was on before he started to depart, as the place they were going to was in the mountains, and it had already snowed up there. Dean began to drive, putting on a song from his phone to the radio, using the auxiliary cord. It was a slow song, and he put it on a low volume so as not to wake Castiel as he drove. He hummed along softly with it, keeping his eyes on the road except when he looked left, right, or behind the truck.

Some time had passed, and Castiel's ears picked up the soft noise of a car engine, and he realized they were already on the road. He rubbed his eyes and looked over at Dean. "Good morning. I see you carried me here and got everything ready. I give you props." He shared a smile and looked at Drew and Luna.

Light had begun to creep over the distant mountains as Dean drove, about an hour and thirty minutes later. He heard Castiel's voice and smiled. "Well, I knew that I shouldn't disturb you from your sleep. I couldn't take the Impala because-"he gestured toward the mountains. "Look where we're headed. Have you ever been in high elevations, Castiel? Flying on a plane, being up in the mountains, et cetera?"

When his blue eyes looked forward out the window, they beamed with excitement, seeing the mountains. He always wanted to go, but he hadn't told Dean that before. "I went on a plane once with Nathaniel. He showed me how to skydive since he does that regularly in his military operations. I thought it was weird when he said, 'you'll need this skill someday, Castiel.' But I've always wanted to go to the mountains." He brightly smiled admiring nature in front of them.

Dean raised his eyebrows at the mention of skydiving. It sounded interesting. He'd watched a documentary on it once. "That sounds cool." He spoke. Then he remembered the dream he'd had a few hours prior. "Listen, Castiel. I had a dream. Well, not a dream. A vision, I think." He added, his voice taking on a serious tone.

He turned his head towards Dean, noting his serious tone. "I had a weird dream too, but you go first. Yours sounds more important if you think it was a vision of some kind." Cas wondered if Jotunn possibly provided a vision to Dean, or maybe it had nothing to do with their connection.

He took a deep breath before explaining what he'd seen and heard. "Well, I was flying, and Drew and Luna were on my back. They disappeared, and I dived down to a body of water, like I was attracted to it. I halted at the surface, and I could control it like you could control fire. I heard a voice too, and it spoke these words; 'Water and fire will combine, to create an undeniable force.' I think it means that in a little while, trouble will befall us and we will have to combine our powers somehow, because we are stronger together, and use them to fight something." Dean explained, glancing at Castiel for a second and then looking back at the road.

Cas listened intently at Dean's dream or vision. The message that was given to him was compelling. He wondered if Dean had a hidden connection to water that even he wasn't aware of until now. Water could be as deadly as fire if used in the right way. Like pressure washers for instance. "If that's true, then I suggest we be aware, but still enjoying ourselves up here in the mountains. We shouldn't completely let our guard down. I'll have to be careful if we are in a forest to not start a forest fire..." He commented. "Basically, in my dream, I was engulfed by fire, but I was perfectly fine. No pain or burning."

For a few moments, that puzzled Dean. Although it did make sense. Castiel's element was fire, so it was only logical that he wasn't hurt by it. Dean could probably throw himself underwater and try to drown himself, and it wouldn't work because the fact that water was his element prevented that. He nodded. "Well, I agree with you. On all of that, I agree with you. I don't think the fire hurt you because it's your element, and that prevents it from hurting you." He theorized.

"Well now, because of that dream, I have an urge to walk into a fire. Maybe a firepit would be good to start with since that's small...I just realized how crazy that sounds when I say it out loud." He chuckles and shakes his head. "I've never actually tried not controlling fire away from me. I've never just accepted it around me, so to speak."

"Interesting," Dean spoke. "I always had a fear of water. I wouldn't go near it, I wouldn't swim. My dad threw me in a ten-foot deep part of a lake once. He didn't help me. That's how I learned to swim, but I never overcame my fear of water...or drowning. My water control power is most likely based from that. And yours-fire-is probably based off what you just said; never accepting it around you. I think that's what it is. Our supernatural side is taking the element we fear slash never really accepted around us and turning it into our power to help us overcome it."

Along with Dean's vision he had and the possible events of them experimenting with their abilities, this was going to be an exciting vacation for the both of them. "That makes sense to me. If you are open to it, because of your vision, it could be best for us to explore the potential of our elemental powers. We can have fun and be prepared for danger at the same time."

He nodded. "We can do that. I think it would be fun if we experimented with our elemental powers. As long as we don't accidentally destroy something, haha." Dean lightly joked. He saw that they were approaching a small town, and sighed. "Don't know about you, but I think I could use some food, water, and a bathroom break." He concluded, finding a gas station and slowing down, turning into the lot and parking next to a gas pump. He turned off the ignition. "One half of the way done with driving." He muttered.

Castiel decided to hop out of the passenger side and go to open Dean's driver's door. "My offer is still on the table with me doing part of the driving if you need a break. I could definitely use a recharge as well. Mainly a bathroom break. I didn't realize it until now."

Dean nodded, getting out and brushing his shirt off. It was quite chilly, but it was winter. He closed the driver's side door and looked around. "Alright, let's go." He spoke, jogging forward and making sure he had his wallet in his pocket, knowing that he should buy some more stuff.

The blue-eyed man followed Dean and veered off once he saw the bathroom sign. Heading inside, he felt better after he relieved himself. Making sure to wash his hands, Cas also splashed some water on his face before heading back out to find Dean.

The former prisoner was waiting for him outside the door, speaking to someone on the phone. He saw Castiel and gave him a nod of acknowledgment, patted him on the back, and disappeared behind the door. He put the call on hold when relieving himself, and was astounded.

What Castiel didn't know is that he'd just found his cousin, after a couple of years of being apart. When Dean had washed and dried his hands, he put the call back on and walked out again, telling his cousin he'd talk with him again soon, and he put his phone away.

Cas saw Dean approaching as he hung up his cellphone. "The look on your face tells me you were surprised by who was on the other line. I can only think it would be a family member?" He wasn't sure if any of the other members of Dean's family were okay people. So far, Cas knew that Mary and Sam were the best influencers when he was growing up before they passed.

He nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah. It was my cousin. Believe it or not, he's actually a member of a metal band. Remember 'Hereafter' by the band Architects? Yep, he's part of that one. He asked me if I could come over to dinner with him. He'd take us out since I told him I had a friend. Don't worry-I'll reveal the truth when we get to that point. This Sunday, oh, we should get some more stuff so that we don't starve or something...am I ranting?"

"You're not ranting. You're just very excited, and I think it's adorable." He chuckled and swung an arm around Dean's shoulders playfully. "I'll be interested in meeting another member of your family...Maybe someday soon I should try reaching out to my brothers and see if they all cooled off from the fallout...Yes, let's at least get a handful of snacks together."

He resisted the urge to blush and bought a few items, including an energy drink because he didn't think he'd survive the rest of the drive without it. Walking with Castiel to the truck, he got in on the driver's side and started the engine. He waited for Castiel to get in and get seatbelted before he'd go.

The former officer had gotten himself a bottled water and a bag of spicy Doritos with some trail mix. He walked over to the car and happened to see Jotunn over in the trees. Even if he was a god, he sure was fast when traveling. Cas opened the car and slid in, buckling his seatbelt. "Did you see Jotunn watching us from the trees? He seems to be curious about cars the most." A chuckle followed the comment.

Dean smiled. "I anticipated that." He spoke, beginning to drive. As he pulled onto the road once again, he eyed Castiel's spicy Doritos. "I'm gonna just take this, thank you..." He spoke, stealing one. He chuckled and ate it; he'd used to do that to his brother when they were little. He'd get mad at Dean, but it never lasted long. "That's very delicious. Good choice of a snack." Dean spoke, chuckling once more.

Castiel furrowed his brows and started laughing at the surprise of Dean's stealing of his chips. "Better beware of your snacks. I might have to steal your whole bag." He raised a brow at Dean mischievously. "I've always wondered if me having a taste for spicy foods and my fire powers related in any way."

The ex-prisoner laughed. "Haha, you'd try to steal my food." He snickered, tapping his fingers on the wheel. A song came on the radio that Dean liked, and he started singing with it, taking a swig of his energy drink in the process. He leaned towards Castiel as he sang part of the lyrics, raising his eyebrows and pointing at him before turning back to the road. Dean was just a practical bundle of energy.

As Cas was munching on his Doritos, he smiled and bobbed his head side to side, enjoying their little car ride. He was amused as he had never witnessed Dean on caffeine before. He was definitely more energetic, but genuinely so. Later, he might crash and take a nap, but that was fine with Castiel.

Getting the beat of the song memorized, he took his hands and mimicked playing the drums while Dean sang along and pointed back at him once the same lyrics repeated in the next verse.

Suddenly, Dean's phone rang, and he rolled his eyes at Castiel but saw it was his cousin and picked the phone up, answering it and putting it on speaker. "Yo, Tom. Are you okay? You called me like twenty minutes ago saying you wanted to come to visit me then you call me again." Dean spoke.

There was a snort from the other side of the phone. "I was thinking of coming up to where you and your friend were going. Winchester cabin, right?" Tom answered.

"You got it!" Dean spoke back.

"We are about halfway there." His cousin spoke back. On the other side, there was the sound of a metal yell and a voice crack, and then laughing.

"Holy shit, Tom! Are you bringing the whole band?" Dean asked.

"I sure am, cousin. Dan's excited to see you. The rest of em' are excited to meet ya. Remember when you had a massive crush on our lead singer, Sam Carter?" Tom taunted.

"Okay, we do not talk about that," Dean spoke back firmly, blushing.

Tom chuckled. "We'll see you there. Bye, Deano!"

Dean allowed himself to say goodbye, and then he ended the call.

The former officer looked over at Dean and questioned. "Did you say something about a whole band coming over to the cabin? Is there enough room for everyone?" He joked. If that was his cousin calling him back, maybe that's where Dean got his love of music from.

"Ah, don't worry. You won't believe it, but the Winchester family cabin is actually pretty big." Dean assured, turning onto a dirt road that looked a bit worn. They were in the mountains now, snow was everywhere on the ground, and you couldn't see through the forest. "This road leads to other people's cabins and now-"He spoke as he turned onto another dirt road, "it also leads to ours. It's good that after that gas station, the trip is ten more minutes." The former prisoner spoke, halting the truck at a gate. He took out a key from his pocket and got out, unlocking the gate and opening it, then getting back in. He drove through it and continued onward.

Castiel watched with interest as Dean drove them on the path to the cabin. Even the scenery was beautiful to look at, he could only imagine how the actual cabin looked. He had to admit, he was nervous about meeting Dean's cousin and the band members. Cas smiled over at Dean. "So, since this is a family cabin, does that mean I'm part of the family now too?" He joked.

A chuckle slipped past Dean's lips. "I suppose so, although you must know, I considered you family from the moment you and I were together. I sort of cling to you, like a leaf to a branch. That's because you're the only family I've got besides Tom and Dan who isn't trying to kill me and gives me love." He explained, his green eyes sparkling with that same emotion that he always got when talking about this kind of stuff.

Blush gently spread across Castiel's cheeks as he heard Dean's words. "I can say the same thing about you. Except my family isn't trying to kill me, we are just distant from each other, especially right now. But I would like you to meet at least one of my brothers someday. There are five of us in total. What can I expect when meeting Tom and the band?"

"I've actually never met the whole of Architects. I've heard that they're pretty nice and easy-going guys, though. Tom and Dan are pretty chill. The rest of the band are chill too, but there will be times when they act like children. At least, that's what I heard. Oh, and they're all British. Expect the accent." Dean spoke, chuckling.

Out in front of them opened a clearing, and to one side was a big cabin, about the size of a decent house. An archway ahead at the end of the driveway had a sign, with the words, "Winchester Family Cabin" painted upon it. The yard was a few acres of grass, and it was all freshly cut. A stone pathway led to a creek, which had decent fishing since it was relatively deep for a creek.

All British except the accent. That was funny to Castiel. His blue eyes flicked from Dean to the cabin in front of them. It certainly was beautiful to go along with the scenery. He thought the whole scene looked like it was from a painting. The leaves were changing colors while the grass was still green. The stone walkway lined with shrubs led to what looked like a big creek. Cas wondered if they ever saw snapping turtles there. He smiled. "It looks very comfortable and cozy. There's lots of space for us to explore and, of course, experiment with our powers. I feel privileged to be able to come here with you." Cas laid a hand on Dean's shoulder.

He glanced at Castiel for a few seconds. "I feel privileged to have you with me. Also, what I meant by 'except the accent' was that I haven't heard any of them use their accents in years, so I'm not sure if they even still have them. Tom told me something about them using their accents more often now." Dean explained. He parked the truck and got out, taking a moment to indulge in the scenery he'd missed.

That made sense. Cas has heard of some people who have a strong accent and lose it over time due to traveling or being out of their native country for a long time. Castiel got out of the car and grabbed Drew and Luna in his arms to allow them out of the vehicle for fresh air. "I think our pets enjoy your cabin already."

"Nah, I just think they like the spaciousness," Dean replied, smiling. He grabbed his and Castiel's bags and got them to the cabin, unlocking it and stepping inside. The blonde set the bags near the couch and took a moment to breathe in the scent of cedar and the remaining cleaning product scent as well. He went back out to get the cooler and set it on the first-floor porch near the door.

The former officer got the pet supply bag and took it inside and set it by the little kitchen area. He got their food and water bowls out so they could nourish themselves when needed. He stood up and admired the inside of the cabin. Besides cleaning products, Cas could pick up the scent of cedar and oak trees. It smelled heavenly to him.

Dean smiled softly as he walked over to Castiel, putting his arm around the darker haired man's shoulders. "I've missed this place." He confessed to him, then noticed something on the wall in front of him. Taking his arm away from Castiel's shoulders, he stepped forward a few paces. On the wall was a large stain of slight red, but one could see it had used to be blood that had never been cleaned off entirely. Dean put his fingers to it, closing his eyes and remembering the Hell that had befallen him when he, his mother, and Sammy tried to escape here.

Cas' smiled frowned once he turned around and saw what Dean was looking at. He saw old blood on the wall. Castiel wondered what happened here and debated whether John had something to do with it or not. It could have been him or some type of wild animal or creature. Cas reached out and gently laid a hand on Dean's shoulder. "Did something happen here a while back? I hate to ask this, but we should clean it off, right?"

He turned his head to look at Castiel. "Me, my brother, and my mother tried to escape here. John found us here..." Dean turned his head away from the other male. "He gave me a knife. He told me to...to cut myself, and if I didn't, I'd die. I nearly died. One hundred and ninety-three." His voice dropped to a whisper, and his body shook violently. "He liked it, Cas..." Dean barely heard himself speak. He shut his eyes closed tight. "He liked seeing me in pain, seeing the blood...that goddamn bastard liked that shit...he liked torturing us..."

Castiel's heart dropped when he heard Dean tells the story of them trying to escape their father. It was awful. No one should have to go through that. He loosely put his arms around Dean and embraced him into a hug. "I am sorry, Dean. You can be at peace, knowing that he and his brother are gone now. I'll clean up the wall for you."

He wrapped his arms around Castiel, his guardian angel, his support beam, everything he wanted growing up. "I'm sorry that I'm not ever going to be able to make it through life without having a pained memory every week. I can't be at peace, I won't ever be." Dean spoke, burying his face into the crook of Castiel's neck. "Let me clean the wall. It's my blood, not yours." He whispered.

The former officer embraced Dean tighter and nuzzled his cheek with his face, kissing him softly. "Dean. Given what you've been through, I find that nothing but normal. That stuff doesn't go away, it just means you find ways of coping with it through life. With that being said, I think you've done a decent job. You will have moments of weakness, but I will be there supporting you and taking nothing personally." He paused for a moment and rubbed his back. "I don't care if it's not my blood. I only want you to do it if you think it will be helpful in any way. Think of it as washing that some of that pain away if you can?"

He nodded, surprised he hadn't shed any tears. The number one hundred and ninety-three repeated in his mind, but he pressed it away. "Thank you, Cas." He whispered, pulling away slightly to look into his eyes. Dean touched his cheek lightly for a second and then gently got out of his grip, getting a sponge, wetting it, and putting some soap on it. Silence ensued as Dean began to scrub at the bloodstain on the wall.

Watching Dean scrub away at the bloodstained wall, Cas thought it'd be best to give him a little space. He walked back into the living room area and waited for Dean on the couch. He was a grown man, after all, he didn't need Castiel watching over his shoulder. He was happy that Dean was the one to end both his father's and uncle's life, as bad as that sounded. After everything he has told Cas, the officer felt that if were you ever come across those two men, he would make their lives a living Hell and not be so quick like Dean was. Maybe it was because he was just protective.

A few minutes later, Dean was finally done, and he put away the sponge and washed his hands. Sighing, Dean walked over to the couch, sitting down and relaxing. Suddenly, the sound of a twig snapping outside made him jump up. Without hesitating, Dean ran out the door and onto the yard. His heart leaped into his throat at what he saw. Two men stood on the grass. One was Dean's uncle, and the other his father. "How?" Dean spoke.

"Anything's possible, son," John replied, smiling. He drew a knife, and smiled. "Ready for round two?"

Castiel heard the snap of a twig and reached for his pistol in his waistband hidden by his shirt. He saw Dean rush out and followed him, but stopped in his tracks when he saw the two men they were just talking about. Bastards. Dean had just started trying to get some relief for the day.

Cas was on the porch still and aimed his gun at John first. "Dean! Don't listen to anything they say! I'm your backup! Remember that vision!"

"You've grown," John spoke, taking a few steps closer.

Dean held up his fists.

"You're going to fight fists against knives? That's not very smart. Then again, you never were the smart one, Dean." He spoke.

He rushed forward with the knife, Dean instinctively raising his arms to block the blow. Dean felt pain in a single line across the palms of his hands. In retaliation, he lashed out and punched. John's face swung violently to the side from Dean's hard blow. They began to exchange punches and strikes, the uncle watching from afar.

Jotunn seemed to be right behind him, sneaking up to inflict harm.

Blue eyes saw Jotunn, and Cas reached out with his mind. 'Jotunn. Go ahead if you feel the need to attack if Dean is in too much danger. I know he means as much to you as he does to me.'

He felt his pistol heat up, being careful not to melt the gun, and fired a fiery bullet at Dean's uncle's shoulder. Narrowing his eyes, he walked down off the porch and cracked his knuckles. Castiel decided to keep him busy while Jotunn watched over the both of them and had his eyes on Dean. Cas wanted Dean to receive assistance before he did; that's why he spoke to Jotunn.

Dean's uncle looked at the wound on his shoulder, and then at Castiel, glaring at him. Both Dean and John were getting multiple injuries, but Dean was suffering what seemed the most pain. A knife slash up his throat, and jawline brought him to the ground. He looked up, only to see the blade rushing towards the left side of his face. At the last second, he turned his head away, only to feel searing pain where his eyeball was. Blood spilled out of the wound, and it was dark where his left eye was. Instead of shrinking back like he would have, he let out a yell of pure rage.

Dean pushed past his father, grabbed the knife out of his hand, raced at his uncle, and slit his throat, turning to face his father. He tackled him to the ground and held the knife, his hand shaking, over his chest. "Remember that your own son is the last thing you saw...both times, bitch." Dean snarled, letting out a yell and bringing the knife down.

Cas' eyes widen seeing Dean become absolutely enraged, rightfully so. He clenched his jaw seeing the blood on his partner. Flashes of when they were in prison came to the surface when Dean's uncle first slashed him with a blade. He stood still and quiet, waiting for Dean to get a little control back from the adrenaline rush. He had just killed both family members once again, saving his own life. A quiet exhale came out of the former officer's mouth as he observed Dean. There was blood that definitely needed to be cleaned up.

Dean watched as his father took his last breaths, then stood up and pulled the knife from his chest. He still couldn't see from his left eye. Neither Castiel nor Dean probably knew that because of the blow that Dean's father had thrown at the side of his face with the knife, Dean didn't only have no sight, but he didn't have an eyeball there any longer either. The pain of it came back, and while wondering why it burned like Hell, Dean let out a groan.

Rushing over to Dean's side, he wrapped an arm around his shoulders and hoisted Dean up on his feet, urgently leading him back into the house. He rushed and went to the laundry area to grab towels and started wiping him down. Only then, Castiel noticed that Dean's left eyeball was missing. He gritted his teeth and allowed Dean to have a moment.

"Cas?" Dean spoke once he noticed the other gritting his teeth. As if something was horribly wrong. "Cas, what's wrong?" Dean asked, his voice getting shaky and small. Something was definitely wrong, he could feel it. Why couldn't he see? What was going on? He was too confused to do really anything else but stare at Castiel, waiting for his answer.

A sigh escaped out of his mouth. He needed to know, no matter how much Cas didn't want to tell him. "Dean...you're not blind. Your entire left eyeball is missing. Its muscle there now in your pocket."

That hit him like a tidal wave. Stunned, Dean looked down at his lap, not knowing what to say. Closing his eye, he let himself fall into his own void of darkness and sadness. He'd never have sight on the left side of his face again. If he lost sight in the other eye, he was blind forever. He knew this better than he knew himself.

On impulse, Castiel wanted to ask Jotunn to please heal Dean's sight, but he knew that even a god had limitations to 'miracles' per se. Not knowing which words to speak to Dean, he gently laid his hands on his shoulders with his arms draping over the middle of them. He spoke; the only four words were appropriate. "I'm here for you."

"Thanks, Cas," Dean whispered, grasping Castiel's wrist with his hand loosely. Then, Jotunn's voice came to Dean's head. 'I think I may be able to heal you. It's going to be very painful, though.' He spoke. Dean nodded. "Jotunn says he can heal me. But he says it's going to be very painful." Dean transferred to Castiel, opening his eye.

He was surprised Jotunn said it was possible, even it would be agonizing. It was apparent the blue-eyed man didn't care if Dean had one working eyeball. This was Dean's choice to make for himself. "I'll support what you decide to do. I'm a little surprised Jotunn offered to give it a try. I had thought he may have limitations."

"Alright, I'll do it. I'd like to have full sight." Dean spoke, both out loud and to Jotunn. He closed his eye, preparing himself for what was coming. Suddenly, pain like a gunshot wound struck Dean's empty eye socket. But for some reason, Dean didn't show any signs of the discomfort, not even one.

Furrowed brows were met when Dean stated he was ready, but then showed no sign of crippling pain that Jotunn said would happen. Was it working? Or was he able to block out the pain that well now? Either way, Castiel watched anxiously and waited for Dean to open, hopefully, both of his eyes. He knew it would be the best outcome after what just happened. They still had two new bodies to take care of.

A few moments passed, and the silence was unforgiving. Dean finally opened his eyes, and the left one was restored. The range of sight for Dean was full again. He blinked a few times and exhaled a breath that he hadn't known he'd been holding. "Well, it worked," Dean confirmed. He smiled, his gaze landing on Castiel.

When Castiel saw that Dean had both of his eyes now, he couldn't help but almost hop onto Dean because of what a relief it was. He wrapped his arms and buried his face into Dean's neck. "Oh thank god, I was... anxious it wouldn't work."

In return, Dean wrapped his arms around Castiel, returning the hug. Until he noticed the blood from several wounds on his arms and a few on his stomach. He gently drew back, looking at his arm wounds. They were bringing him back to the times after abusive encounters with his father when he would study his injuries and sob his little eyes out.

Instead of that, Dean closed his eyes and tried to reassure himself that nothing else was going to happen after this. His body trembled, though, letting him know that the loss of blood was dehydrating him quite critically.

As the former officer got caught up in the moment, he realized that Dean's sight wasn't the only issue. His partner still had received other wounds from the skirmish. He pulled back and looked at his arms and abdomen. "Okay, let's get you cleaned up. You'll need to remove your shirt for this. Well, it's bloody anyway, and we need to get rid of the bodies before your cousin, and bandmates show up. Wouldn't want them thinking anything." He joked about trying and lifting Dean's spirits as he searched his bags for the first aid kit.

He opened his eyes and nodded slightly, reaching his hands up and removing his shirt, which was sticky with warm blood. The wounds he'd received were minor, except a gash that he barely noticed on his right arm. Dean looked at the scar he'd received back in prison from his uncle. It was like it had happened, except now he wasn't blind in his left eye.

'You'd better hurry. They'll be here in ten.' Jotunn spoke to Dean mentally.

"They're going to be here in ten minutes." Dean transferred to Castiel. But he wasn't worried about time right now.

Cas grabbed all the cleaning supplies and the medical rags he could find in the first aid kit. Doing the job thoroughly, but in a timely fashion, he cleaned Dean's arms wounds and assessed that no stitches were required. Looking at the one on his abdomen, it was a little wider, but again, no sutures were required. After cleaning that one, he placed a bandage over it to keep it protected. His right arm gash was more bloody, but no significant damage was done. "Okay, that should be good. If we need too, we can always recheck everything when they leave."

All of that had only taken five minutes, thankfully. Dean stood up, gave Castiel a kiss on the forehead, and went to the couch, picking up their bags and putting them in the upstairs room while grabbing a fresh long-sleeved shirt for himself. He went back downstairs and sat down on the couch before getting up and going to the kitchen area. From the cupboard, he grabbed a glass and filled it up with water from the sink. Dean stood at the sink, looking out the window while he drank his water in silence.

After Cas was done and Dean stood in the kitchen drinking water, his eyes looked out the window ahead of him. The bodies were still there. He could create his fire hot enough to burn down bone. It would be a good idea to get rid of those before the company arrived. He walked over by Dean and lightly tapped his shoulder. "Want me to burn the corpses? Even their bones?" He didn't know why he felt like he needed to ask permission.

Dean's trance was broken by Castiel's voice cut into his thoughts. "Yeah, go ahead, burn everything part of that." He replied. For a few moments, Dean wondered why he'd asked for permission to do that. He shrugged it off and continued to sip his water. Sighing, he filled it up again after it was nearly empty.

The former officer went outside and stood in front of the bodies. He looked them over with tight lips and glanced at his open hands, allowing blue fire to come out of his palms. He directed the fire and then shoot it out onto the bodies as they began charring to nothing but ash. Luckily, the smell of burning flesh wasn't too strong. He had to admit, this was satisfying, burning the two people who haunted Dean the most. He closed his hands once the deed was done and walked back inside the cabin.

While his partner had been burning the corpses, Dean had seen it as a separation of his pain from his soul. He'd finished his water and washed the glass, putting it into the dishwasher. He sat on the couch, waiting expectantly for his cousins and the band. Dean opened one eye when Castiel came back inside, then closed it, seeing it was only him. The former prisoner leaned back on the couch and was finally content for the day.

Castiel saw Dean had situated himself on the couch and took a seat next to him. He stared at his hands for a few seconds before resting his left one on Dean's right leg gently. "I probably shouldn't say this out loud, but I had immense satisfaction doing that. It felt calming in away."

He nodded. "I know I shouldn't feel like I felt satisfaction when I stabbed my father in the chest," Dean spoke, taking Castiel's hand in his and intertwining their fingers. "So..." he sighed heavily. "I think we can relate to each other on this one." He added quietly. Luna and Drew padded over to them, and lay down at their feet.

A few moments passed, and Dean heard the rumble of a truck engine. That was them. He gave Castiel's hand a gentle squeeze before standing and removing his hand from the other's gently, going to the front door and disappearing outside, on the porch. His green gaze was set upon the driveway.

Cas smiled softly as Dean went out the door and onto the porch to wait for their guests. He picked up Luna, deciding to remain inside, and rubbed her head gently, making her purr. He used his other hand to scratch Drew's ears. "When you get old enough, Drew, I'll help you become a good guard dog for Dean and I. You'll do great."

Headlights brushed the yard, telling Dean that they were here. The truck was parked, and about five people got out. The first three Dean recognized were Tom Searle, Dan Searle, twin brothers, and Dean's cousins, and the band's lead singer Sam Carter. The other two people Dean didn't recognize. "Deano!" He heard Tom's voice call.

"Tom, I hear ya!" Dean called back. In a flash, Dean was off the porch and engaged in a hug with Dan and Tom. They spoke a few words to each other, and the two introduced Dean to the rest of the band.

"This is a pretty nice place," Sam commented.

"It is." Dan agreed.

Dean noticed they all had British accents, so they had been working on them then. "The inside's nicer, c' mon," Dean said, beginning to lead them to the cabin. Drew barked at the company.

As the former officer heard the doorknob turn, he stood back up and set Luna on the floor carefully. As Dean entered the door with his cousins and the band members, he noticed what he assumed were the cousins, were twins. That's something you don't get to see every day. Castiel strode over and figured he might as well introduce himself to everyone to be friendly and welcoming.

Everyone quieted down when they entered the cabin, except for Sam, who pointed out something but then was silenced by Tom giving him a glare.

Dean nodded at Castiel. "Castiel, this is Tom and Dan, Sam, Alex, and Josh. In full, this is Architects." He spoke. Dean turned so he faced the band. "Guys, this is Castiel. My boyfriend." He introduced.

The band members smiled at that, to Dean's relief. Tom brushed off Sam and stepped forward first. He was taller than both Dean and Castiel, his hair was a little darker than Dean's, and chocolate brown eyes shone with kindness. He held out his hand for Castiel to shake. "The name's Tom Searle," he spoke, his accent making its appearance. "Although, you might've figured that out already."

Castiel smiled in a friendly manner and shook Tom's hand firmly and politely while nodding. "I believe I did actually, haha. Nice to meet you. Dean was very excited about all of you coming to visit. I can tell he loves your music because he listens to it all the time. I enjoy your music as well of course. The lyrics are poetic." He commented, slightly teasing Dean in the process.

"I could tell Dean was excited," Tom replied, taking his hand gently from Castiel's when they were done handshaking. "Me and Dan are the closest family he's got besides you." He spoke.

Dean was blushing slightly from the tease from Castiel.

Sam whispered something into Tom's ear, and he glared at him. "Oh, right," Tom said after that.

Dean raised an eyebrow.

"Nearly forgot to tell you we are engaged." He spoke while pointing to himself and Sam.

Dean couldn't resist smiling. "That's the best news I've heard all day besides you all coming up here to visit."

Raised eyebrows occurred when Sam and Tom announced their engagement. He was happy for them. The couple looked like they fit well together since Castiel could tell they had good chemistry from even just watching them stand there besides one another. "Congratulations on your engagement." He genuinely replied while figuring it would be polite to wish them well, even if he had just met them for the first time.

"Thank you," Tom replied, giving Castiel a smile.

"Okay, we should probably sit down," Dean spoke up, and everyone agreed. He sat down at the left end of the bigger couch, but left some space for Castiel to sit beside him. Tom and Sam sat next to each other on Dean's left side, and Dan sat beside them. The rest of the band members sat down on the other couch.

Sitting next to Dean, Cas admitted to himself he felt a little awkward in a room full of people he had just met. At least Dean was beside him and was familiar with everyone here. His blue quickly flicked towards the window where you could initially see the bodies. Even the ash pile was swept away by the breeze now. No evidence had been left behind for anyone to find.

Dean didn't notice as Castiel's gaze slipped to the window for a moment. He was talking with the band members about what was going on with them. In return, telling them what was going on with him.

Tom pulled out a notebook from his jacket pocket, which contained all the songs that he wrote for the band. He was both the lead guitarist and songwriter.

Dean looked at the lines, finding his breath catching in his throat. The lines were meaningful and spoke to his soul. He tapped Castiel's shoulder and showed him a specific line verse from a song Tom was currently working on.

Feeling a tap on his shoulder from Dean, he turned his attention back to where he was pointing. He remembered the former prisoner telling him Tom wrote all the songs for the band. This must be his handwriting and journal. Cas read the song that Dean was looking at as he leaned forward over him to get a better look. The line he was pointing at was incredibly powerful, and he knew instantly it described Dean on many levels. His mind wondered if that was intentional or a coincidence.

After Castiel was done reading the line, Dean closed the book and handed it back to Tom, who took it gratefully and put it back in his coat pocket. Dean went out and got drinks for everyone, and a beer for himself. Upon setting it on the table next to the couch, he turned to Castiel. "Do you want anything to drink?" He asked, politely. Tom was telling a story about how he came up with one of their songs, and Dean partially listened to that.

He smiled and nodded. "If you wouldn't mind getting me a bottled water, I'd appreciate it." Castiel turned his head back around and looked at the other members of the group listening to their conversations. He learned that the songwriting process was an emotional one because the most potent lyrics were written when emotion was at its highest.

Dean went back outside and got a bottle of water, looking out at the yard, seeing Jotunn's white eyes peering out at him from the trees. He gave him a nod and went back inside, closing the door after himself. The blonde walked over to Castiel, setting the bottle in his lap and picking up Luna, petting her.

Tom turned to look at Luna and smiled, petting her too.

Sam had started to tell the story of how he'd joined the band and how him and Tom had begun to fall in love.

As he was listening to their love story, Castiel tried to hide a smirk and chuckled on the inside, given how he and Dean met each other in prison. He was the prisoner serving a life sentence, Castiel was the police sergeant assigned to him until his very last day. To prevent himself from smiling at the amusing thought, he started taking sips of his water. He thought he should be prepared in case they were asked that question, so he came up with a backup plan in mind.

When Sam was finished telling the story, everyone added their own exciting comments. "There was one time I came home," Dan began.

Tom groaned and his face in his hands.

"And got scarred for life cause I found these two doing odd shit in their bedroom." Dan motioned to Sam and Tom. Everyone burst out laughing at that.

Tom flipped his brother off, saying something about that not being funny.

"Okay. Interesting and or scarring things to come home to aside, how did you two meet and realize you were in love with each other?" Josh asked Castiel and Dean.

After Cas finished laughing at Dan's little story, he heard Josh ask them how they met. He knew this was coming. He gave a quick glance at Dean and smiled before starting his backup story. "So I work at a self-defense building as an instructor and Dean walked in saying he wanted to learn some things to keep himself on his toes in case trouble would arise. I was happy to teach him and then afterwards, everything seemed to fall into place. He even took me out to dinner afterward." He looked back at Dean. "Am I forgetting anything important we should tell them?"

"I don't believe so," Dean spoke, internally agreeing with the backup story that Castiel had come up with.

"That's an iterating way to meet someone, but it's still away," Tom commented.

Dean chuckled. "Sure, sure. Not everyone meets their one and only in a band, though."

"Actually, that's a common way for people to fall in love. Get your facts, right, cousin." Tom replied, playfully. He clapped Dean on the back, and Dean patted his shoulder in return.

Thankfully they bought the story and didn't think it was full of crap. Cas was curious about Tom's comment about it being common for lovers to meet in a band. "Is that really true? Do you have other bands you perform with who have found their significant other while touring? I've never heard of that statistic." He asked, honestly wondering.

"It is really true. So far, we've been on tour with about five other bands who had two of their members fall in love while being part of said band. Mostly, we tour by ourselves, but there will be times when we tour with others." Tom replied to Castiel, making Dean raise his eyebrows. That was interesting. He'd actually never heard of that statistic either, and he was surprised he'd never heard of it. Then again, he'd never really been interested in that kind of stuff.

Cas nodded in understanding of Tom's explanation. He found it impressive really. Taking his bottled water, he took a couple more sips before picking up Drew and hoisting him up into his lap. The puppy wanted attention and to be next to Luna, who was on Dean's lap. Drew seemed to settle down once he got himself comfortable in Castiel's arms.

A couple of hours passed, in which activity was decent. The band talked about their experiences over the years and how they became a band. Sam showed off some of his singing, and Tom read some of the lyrics from a few songs that were so powerful, Dean almost cried. Now, it was nearly nine at night. The only ones awake were Dan, Tom, Dean, and Castiel. The four of them were sitting in silence, at least at the moment.

The former officer decided to break the silence. "So mind if I ask you, Tom, how the engagement happened? I've heard stories of people being really creative and then others who are simple and straight to the point."

Tom looked up at Castiel's question. He took a moment to think before replying. "After one of the bigger tours of the year, I bought a ring and kept it a secret from everyone except for Dan. I knew I could trust him because...well, he's my brother. One night, I took Sam out for a nice picnic dinner under the stars. The sun was setting and it was beautiful, perfect atmosphere like I wanted it. When the dinner was over, I took Sam on a nature walk, and we came to a lake. I got down on one knee, did a little speech, asked the question, and yep, that's how it happened." Tom explained.

Dean nodded approvingly. "You always were the creative and smart one in the family." He said to him.

Tom smiled, "I know. Everyone tells me that, even our fans. I have a lot of references and emotion in the lyrics I put down on a piece of paper."

Castiel thought that the story was sweet. It was well planned out, personal, and also simple and not over the top. Something that was special to both of them together and not just one over the other. "That's nice. It sounded like a very special moment for the both of you that day. That's what matters." He concluded. Drew had fallen asleep on Castiel's lap as he continued softly petting him with the gentlest touch.

Tom nodded, thanking Castiel silently.

"I believe we should all get some sleep," Dean spoke up, feeling tired.

Dan nodded in agreement, standing to his feet.

Tom stood with him, and they gave each other hugs.

Dean stood himself and helped Castiel to his feet, gently taking Drew and setting him on the floor. Tom and Dean hugged, and then the two brothers departed to their rooms. Dean yawned.

Cas watched as the brothers retired for the night. He decided to pick up Dean and carry him to their room so they could go to bed and get some rest. Unbeknownst to the band, they had a very tough morning and early afternoon from all that had happened. Castiel gently laid down Dean on the bed and crawled in beside him, giving a yawn realizing how tired he was.

This time around, Dean didn't mind that Castiel picked him up. When he was laid upon the bed, Dean turned on his side so he faced Castiel, like always. He gave him a kiss on the forehead. "Goodnight, Cas." He spoke with a soft smile at him.

A quiet smile formed over Cas' lips before he leaned forward and returned the kiss on Dean's nose. "Goodnight, Dean. Rest well and as much as you can." He stated while facing Dean. The two almost always faced each other when they slept. Castiel traced his head over and gently held a couple of Dean's fingers before closing his eyes slowly.

Dean had enough energy in him to muster a quick smile. He closed his eyes and began to fall asleep, with a few lines of Sam's soft singing voice singing Tom's lines soothing him to sleep.

Almost as always, dreams would not come to him. He would sleep in his little void of black that he felt ever so comfortable and safe in. Luna and Drew got up on the bed and curled up somewhere near the pair's legs. The cabin was silent, and outside was silent too. It was not like the city, where you could always hear the hum of the interstate highway. It was, indeed, amazingly quiet.

Given just how silent and peaceful everything was up here in the mountains, it didn't take effort for Castiel to fall asleep. He was lulled to sleep by the quietness and found his mind began dreaming. It was their little family of himself, Dean, Jotunn, Drew, and Luna. All of them were sitting on the edge of a cliff overlooking the horizon below. The sunset was shaded of pinks and oranges perfectly meshing together into a warm glow.


	12. Chapter 12

Hours passed in which felt like only minutes to Dean in his sleep. Tom, Dan, and Sam were the first to get up, and they were downstairs making breakfast for themselves and the rest who weren't awake. It was a shocking but quite courteous act from them. They were all quiet too. So of course, Dean heard nothing as he slept, but felt that it was morning and he had to wake up. He opened his eyes, and the first thing his gaze landed on was Castiel, sleeping peacefully. The former prisoner couldn't resist a soft smile.

Cas was in a deep sleep because of peace. The arm that wasn't outstretched towards Dean was wrapped under his pillow for extra support and cushioning. His eyes were closed and he had a blank expression on his face signaling how deep in his rest he was. Some time had passed and he slowly started opening his blue eyes, seeing Dean looking at him with a smile. Cas couldn't help but smile a little too. "Good morning, Dean." He groggily mumbled.

The heat came to his cheeks before he could stop it. He was, admittedly, a bit embarrassed that Castiel had caught him looking at his state. "Morning, Cas," Dean whispered back, leaning forward a bit to kiss him on the forehead. He assumed that the other had gotten a good sleep from the blank expression he'd seen. "I assume you slept well."

He sat up and noticed he had a full head of bed hair. Castiel rubbed his eyes and leaned in to give Dean a small kiss on his cheek. "I did. It's effortless to fall asleep here since it's so peaceful at night time. You looked like you slept good too." He commented as he tried fixing his hair but to no avail. His dark locks were definitely stubborn.

He giggled at the attempt Castiel made to fix his hair, but then abruptly stopped. He could pick up voices from downstairs. Dean carefully slipped out of bed and opened the door, looking down. He raised his eyebrows and stepped back inside, closing the door. "Sam, Dan, and Tom are awake. They're making breakfast." He spoke to Castiel. Shock and awe showed in his eyes.

Stretching to loosen his muscles, Cas looked at Dean. "Judging by the look on your face, this is not something they normally do? That's nice of them." He smiled and slid out of bed while cracking his neck. He wrapped his arms around Dean loosely as he looked into his green eyes. "Shall we go see what they're making or stay here for a few more moments?"

"Well, I just wasn't expecting that. I'm sure they do that every day, I don't know." Dean replied, shrugging slightly. Hearing Castiel's question, he shook his head. "I just want to stay here for a few moments." He added as an answer to his question. Dean offered a small smile to Castiel, wrapping his arms around him in return.

Allowing his arms to wrap a little tighter around Dean, Castiel smiled and laid his forehead upon Dean's. "I've found that I'm only a morning person when you're with me. Must be something with the way I find you admiring me at times when I wake up." An amused smile appeared on his face.

Dean smiled. "I suppose that could be true." He replied softly. "You're peaceful when you sleep, that's why I admire you in the mornings when I wake, and you're still asleep." He confessed. Dean kept his smile, looking into Castiel's eyes.

Heat spread on his face a bit. "You must be able to do that better now since I'm actually sleeping. Since we aren't in prison anymore." He spoke lowly enough so that no one else would hear as he played with Dean's hair between his fingers. "I'm glad we aren't there anymore; it's better for us that we escaped from that life, I think." He planted a soft kiss on Dean's nose.

He smiled and blushed lightly as he felt the kiss on his nose. "It's good to be out of there, you know? And any news about it will have very well died down now. It's been a month-no, more-since it happened." Dean concluded. He smiled and planted a light kiss upon Castiel's cheeks, one on each.

"I know this is silly of me to say, but even if we aren't in that life anymore, I still have a strong urge to protect you. But I try and take a step back, you're a grown man as well as myself, and you can make your own decisions." He gently rubbed Dean's right cheek. "I apologize if I may be overbearing at times. It's only because I love you."

"It's okay, Cas. I understand. I've never told you, but I feel an urge to protect you, too. I feel an urge to protect or save everyone I love. Even those daft idiots downstairs." He joked lightly. "They're my family too, even though only two of them are actually blood-related to me. But seriously, I love all my family. If there's one thing I must put out there, it's this. Family doesn't end in blood."

The family doesn't end in blood. A smile appeared when Castiel heard that phrase. It was true, especially in this world. He nuzzled Dean's face while playing with his hair. "I agree. You guys act like family already from what I've seen. I plan on contacting my brother Gabriel once we are done with our week-long vacation here, and we figure out what your vision meant. I'd like you to meet at least one of my brothers." He paused and picked a piece of fuzz out of Dean's hair. "We should probably head down now, right? Wouldnt want them thinking we are doing anything." A small chuckle came out of his mouth.

The former prisoner smiled. "Yeah, we probably should. Although, I'm pretty sure they would've heard us and walked right out of here if we were doing something." Dean lightly joked again, smiling.

He gently pulled out of Castiel's grasp and opened the door, walking out and going down the staircase.

As he slipped at the end of it, arms suddenly reached out and caught him. "Woah there, Deano. We don't want you getting hurt, now do we?" Tom's thick British accented voice sounded in his ears.

Dean chuckled and pulled himself up to give him a hug.

This caught the attention of the other members of the band. It was unusual since Dean and Tom treated each other like close brothers, not cousins.

Cas followed Dean down the steps, and thankfully Tom was closer than he was to catch Dean from his stumble. He smiled softly and walked near the kitchen, smelling the rich flavors of breakfast. Eggs, bacon, potatoes, and toast. "Thanks for cooking breakfast this morning, guys." He thanked the three of them.

"Ah, it's not a problem. We thought we'd do something nice." Tom replied.

He and Dean broke apart, and Sam was moving towards the other rooms, where the other two members were still sleeping.

"This is how we wake everyone up in our house," Sam spoke, smirking. "Or, per se, I." He opened the doors quietly and stood in the middle of the hall. Suddenly, he let out a loud "Blegh!" much like Dean had heard in some of the songs.

The last two suddenly half scrambled, half walked out of doors. They both groaned in unison. Everyone burst into laughter, Tom walking up to Sam and giving him a playful hair ruffle. The taller vocalist wrapped his arms around the smaller man.

Dean watched them with a small smile.

"Hey, keep it PG-13," Josh spoke.

Sam looked at him with an indignant look.

Dean suffused a giggle with great effort.

Castiel stifled a laugh watching Sam wake up the other two and the comment about keeping everything appropriate. He grabbed himself a glass of orange juice and fixed a plate of food with a little bit of everything, making sure to leave plenty for everyone else. Cas took his plate and sat down on the couch, setting his food on the table in front of him.

Drew walked up and started begging for food. As cute as those puppy dog eyes were, Cas decided to give a command in sign language that the officers used to make their canine companions lay down. He patted the floor, so it was easier for Drew to associate the gesture with the command. The pup got the idea and laid down on the floor obediently. "Smart dog you are. I'll give you a treat later."

Everyone got a plate of food with a little bit of everything on it. Despite this, they all ended up clearing the food, leaving nothing for seconds. Dean sat down on the couch to eat his food, shooing Luna away because she couldn't be on his lap while he was trying to eat. Everything actually tasted pretty good to him, and he made a mental note to thank his cousins after he was finished. Sam and Tom were talking, speaking in undertones to each other, so no one else could hear what they were saying. Dean, with his sharp hearing, could.

As Castiel was eating, he found the potatoes were his favorite thing on the plate. They were crispy, but not at all burnt or charred. He was the type of person who preferred a little cheese with his eggs, but otherwise, those tasted good too. Finishing up his bacon, he noticed Dean would glance up at Sam and Tom every now and then. Cas couldn't personally hear what they were saying, Dean still had the sharper hearing from losing half his sight earlier on. If Castiel had to give himself credit for something, it would be that his reflexes had always kept him alive in sticky situations.

He suddenly felt ashamed of himself. He knew he shouldn't be intruding on a private conversation. Standing to his feet, Dean walked to where Castiel was sitting and sat down beside him. He continued to eat his breakfast in silence, relieved that his ears couldn't pick up the conversation between Sam and Tom anymore. When he'd finished, Dean stood and put away his plate and fork, rinsing them off before putting them in the sink. He hadn't wanted anything to drink, so he was right on that.

Cas followed suit to Dean by going to the kitchen and rinsing off his plate and glass. Afterward, he dried them with a hand towel and placed them on the rack next to the sink. Coming back into the kitchen, he sat next to Dean again and set a gentle hand on his left knee out of habit whenever they sat down. "Do we have anything on our agenda today either together or with your cousins?" He asked Dean.

Dean turned his head to Castiel, thinking for a moment. "Well, I was planning on taking us all out to dinner at this nice place they've got near here. I thought that would be a nice thing to do." He suggested, offering a small smile. "Right now, I think we should all relax and-" He was cut off by the sudden shattering of glass and a strangled scream. Turning his head swiftly towards the sound, Dean saw Tom in the kitchen, his hand looking like it had fitted around a glass a moment before.

His eyes were wide with fear, looking towards the window, and his mouth was gaping open.

Dean stood up so fast he got a dizzy rush, but he shrugged it off. He rushed towards Tom, getting him out of the kitchen and sitting him on the couch. Dean cut his foot on glass in the process, but he paid the wound no mind. Someone began cleaning the glass while Dean tried to reassure and calm Tom.

Cas took a look at the wound on Tom's hand. It was a pretty good gash. As Dean calmed his cousin, he ran upstairs and got the first aid kit. His blue eyes looked at Dean and Tom. "Do you mind if I help out? I'm trained in first aid. I've even patched up Dean more than once." He started offering a small smile to try and diffuse the anxiety in Tom.

For a few moments, Tom seems paralyzed. He'd definitely seen something through that window, and something told Dean it was who-or what-he thought it was. Then he came back to reality. "Yeah, go ahead," Tom whispered.

Dean searched his eyes, finding anxiety, fear, and deeply rooted confusion, even. He put his hand over Tom's uninjured one, providing comfort to his cousin.

Sam was looking on, unsure whether to approach.

The former officer opened the kit and grabbed some gauze, wrap, spray, and a safety pin to keep the wrap in place afterward. Taking Tom's wrist of his injured hand, Castiel carefully wiped his wound while spraying some saline solution. No shards were in the man's hand, at least. Grabbing the gauze, he tightly held it on the gash, and started wrapping his hand securely so it would stay in place. Once finished, a safety pin was attached at the end of the gauze to make sure it didn't unravel itself. "All done. You should check on that tomorrow at some point, and I'd avoid getting it wet today." Castiel's eyes saw small spots of blood leading to Dean's right foot. "You stepped on the glass, didn't you?"

"For once, Cas, don't worry about me," Dean spoke roughly, not looking at Castiel. "Tom..." he lowered his voice, so he didn't come off as aggressive towards the fearful man. "What did you see?" Dean asked.

The room went silent, and everyone seemed to be holding their breath. Tom's gaze flicked around the room, and Dean knew he was trying to recall a full image of what he'd seen so he could describe it.

He turned his attention back to Tom. Dean was right, he shouldn't be focused on him right now. His cousin looked like he saw a ghost. Could it have been Jotunn? He usually wanders close by in the trees; it wouldn't be surprising if Tom happened to see him. Jotunn was probably just wondering what they were doing. Cas looked up and saw Sam looking at his fiancee with concern. He motioned for Sam to come over and sit next to Tom as Castiel got up and stood so they could switch places. He had already done his part in patching up Tom's hand.

Sam nodded and sat down next to Tom. "I was looking at the trees." Tom began. "There was this creature, and it stepped out of the trees. It was huge-big as a moose. Looked like one too, except it wasn't. It had spikes on its back, and it had a fucked up head. If you could even call it ahead. It was like two human bodies were fused together, and it was like it had a cloak over it. There were glowing white eyes staring back at me in this void of darkness. And it had arms under its head." He explained.

Dean stood up slowly, looking nervous. Suddenly, he bolted out.

Everyone stared after him, and Sam leaned over to Tom, whispering comforting words in his ear as he rubbed his cheek gently.

Castiel stayed inside with the rest of the group so it wouldn't seem suspicious of both of them bolting out the door to see Jotunn. They couldn't know he existed after all. He imagined they would all go crazy or at least set into panic mode. Jotunns' standard form was a shock to the system. It sure shocked him at first when he and Dean were chasing after the God, trying to kill it like madmen. But they ended up succeeding in banishing him and gaining his respect.

Outside, Dean quickly associated with Jotunn and went back inside after. "Tom." He spoke. "What you saw..." Dean took a breath. "Was one hundred percent real." He admitted.

Tom didn't give the reaction he'd anticipated. "Really? Well, what is it, and can I see it?" He asked quietly.

Dean's gaze flicked to Castiel. 'Would that be alright with you?' He asked him mentally.

'That is fine with me. I'll accompany you guys outside. I'm surprised about his shift in attitude. Acceptance drives fear away, or so they say.' Castiel answered back to Dean and started walking towards the front door. So now Tom and whoever else was coming, was going to meet Jotunn. He wondered if they would have to tell the story of how they met and if they would have to reveal their powers to Dean's cousins and non-biological family. Castiel was hesitant on that part but decided to follow Dean's lead when it came to this subject since he knew these people the best.

Nodding slightly, Dean started towards the front door too. "Okay, whoever wants to, come on," Dean spoke. To his surprise, the whole band got up and followed him and Castiel outside. Nervous but trusting himself, Dean led the way, down to the yard. "Okay. He'll come out." He spoke. Cold silence enveloped the yard as the footsteps of Jotunn sounded.

The former officer looked at everyone once he heard Jotunn's footsteps. Everyone seemed to have mixed expressions. Scared, curious, and calm. It was a spectrum of emotions. He and Dean knew Jotunn wouldn't hurt anyone, but his appearance might be jarring into thinking the God would destroy them at some capacity. Since Jotunn had never spoken out loud, it looked like if he had words he wanted to say, that either him or Dean would have to translate. It depended on who Jotunn's mind connected to first.

It was as if the trees parted as one at the massive creature's presence. Jotunn, noble and commanding, stalked through the trees and onto the yard. Everyone stared at him, and they lowered themselves a little. Dean was inclined himself to dip his head a little to the majestic and horrifying creature. Staying in standard form, Jotunn eyed the newcomers with guarded curiosity. No one spoke, and that was probably the way Jotunn wanted it.

Out of the corner of his eye, Castiel saw the band members lower themselves out of respect and admiration. Jotunn was indeed a sight to behold, especially with the entrance he just made. Cas connected his mind to Dean's after a few moments of silence. 'This is going surprisingly well.'

'Right now, it is.' Dean replied mentally to Castiel. For some odd reason, he couldn't reach out to Jotunn's mind. 'The hell? I can't connect with him!' He reported, his mind straining as he tried again. Why was the God blocking him out? It was all too suspicious. But Dean, nonetheless, stayed where he was as he let Jotunn examine the band.

Suddenly, he reached out and grabbed Tom, retreating so fast no one could catch it.

Sam tried, but Dean stopped him. "Fuck!" Dean cursed, kicking a small pebble.

Blue eyes widened as Cas saw Jotunn take Tom and runoff. He looked at Dean than back into the forest. What the hell just happened? Why would he take Tom? He also closed his mind off to Dean's, which Cas never thought would happen. "Dean. I'm heading into the forest to track them down. He's your cousin, and I don't know what the hell just happened." He lifted his shirt up a bit from the back and pulled out his pistol, and cocked the gun turning the safety off. "We obviously can't speak to him right now. If you aren't coming, then I'll send a 'flare' to show you my location. That'll keep away the other animals." He wiggled the pistol between his fingers

He moved in front of Castiel. "I'm coming with you." He spoke, anger and worry flickering back and forth in his eyes.

Sam moved forward. "I'm-"

Dean cut him off. "No, you're not. You will not follow us. You will die. Sam, you do not know what that fucking thing is and what it's capable of." Dean snarled. He tapped Castiel's shoulder and turned, jogging into the forest. He kept his gaze on the ground that was torn up from Jotunn's hooves.

He nodded and ran off to follow Dean. Luckily, the two of them were in pretty good shape, and they wouldn't get exhausted or burn out quickly as they pursued Jotunn. Once Cas caught up to Dean and was now running beside him, he decided to speak telepathically. 'Was this because they saw each other and Tom freaked out? Wait. Tom doesn't know what he is, right? Doesn't know his name? You said if you speak his name, then he will try and kill you.'

'Tom doesn't know anything about him or his name. He was taken for a different reason.' Dean replied as he ran. Jotunn had certainly already gotten far in the few moments that he'd had to escape. It was going to take the two of them a while. Dean could hear distant roars from the creature, signaling that it was far but not too far. He hoped silently that Tom wasn't dead by now.

Castiel looked at the gun in his hands. Surely, Jotunn would get enraged if it was used against him, especially after the two of them developed a connection with the God. He wouldn't use it on Jotunn unless there were no other options in play. This was mainly to keep other creatures in the forest at bay and to focus his fire attacks on one point. 'I really hope I don't have to use this against him. He would be livid.'

'Don't use it on him unless he attacks you, and only you.' He replied. Dean didn't have anything to defend himself with. He would only fight with his bare hands if Jotunn attacked him. He didn't want to use a weapon on him for many reasons, a few of which he didn't want to voice. Sighing, Dean noticed that the trail of Jotunn's tracks was a straight line. That was quite interesting.

He nodded in agreement with Dean's suggestion. As they were still jogging, his eyes lowered to their feet. The tracks were a bit different than before, or so Castiel thought. The beast seemed to be heading entirely with no other direction. 'I believe he knows this forest well. I have a feeling Jotunn could have been here before. He looks like he has a location in mind.'

'It looks like it. He very well could've been here before.' Dean agreed.

Several hours passed after that. Ninety percent of it was just jogging, and the other ten percent was resting. But now, as they stood who knows where with the sun setting Dean knew they were totally lost. He fell to his knees, his eyes downcast. For a few moments, he did nothing. Suddenly he slammed his fist on the ground several times until it bled profusely, and tears dripped silently down his cheeks. Dean looked to the darkening sky and let out a strained yell of frustration and anger. "I'll fucking find you, Jotunn!" He screamed.

Cas pursed his lips, watching Dean become angered. Jotunn has basically kidnapped his cousin and had taken him to God knows where in this forest. Tom was probably petrified with terror from the whole experience. He sighed and tried gathering his thoughts. Casting a flame to hover in his right hand, he allowed the area light up and add some warmth to both of them.

Allowing himself to fall apart, Dean sat against a tree and stared up at the sky. He closed his eyes and let the anger come in waves. Feeling his hand throb, he took a look at it, the skin torn and bloody. He just was silent as he looked at the sky, now black.

The former officer decided to walk over and sit beside Dean, giving enough space between them, so he didn't feel crowded. Now was not the time to mention his bloodied hand. Cas allowed the flame to get a little bigger in his hand, and he held it between both of them as he turned his head towards Dean. "We will succeed. I know we will."

Dean gave a snort of defiance. "We've no water, food, warm clothes, or anything else of that matter. And you think we're going to succeed? Please. Put some fucking sense in your head, Castiel. I'll be damned if we make it out of here alive." He snarled, his eyes livid. Maybe he was right. Sweat and grime clung to him, and he felt out of place in his own skin. His legs felt rubbery from hours of jogging, and survival had been the last thing on his mind. Until this point.

Dean was understandably upset and not in the mood for reassurance from him. He closed his eyes and sat in silence, searching for any signs of life. His hearing wasn't as good as Dean's was. He would need his assistance. "Dean. Your hearing is better than mine. I can kill some food for us if you sit in silence with me here for a few minutes. There must be animals who will pass along here. I can shoot them for food if you help out." Cas dimmed the fire in his hand just enough for prey animals to not be scared by it.

"You know what? This is not what I signed up for." Dean spoke, standing to his feet, looking up at the rising moon. He looked at his watch. Eight twenty six. It was cold, but moving could bring warmth to his veins. "I know exactly how we can do this better. We need to split up." Dean announced, looking at Castiel. On his side, it sounded better to split up. It covered more ground. But wait-there was the problem. If one of them got lost-or both-there was no way to get back, and one was basically knocking on death's door. But Dean's only goal was to get to Tom and get him out of this hellish place.

As much as Castiel would rather not split up into a forest at night, it was really their only option right now. He stood up and brushed himself off. "I'll send my own flare-up in the sky then if I find something. You'll be able to see my location then. Use your telekinesis if you have to. I'll listen closely if you try and contact me via the mind." He paused before turning in the opposite direction of Dean. "I know he's your cousin, but I think Tom would hate you to get hurt because of him. Or worse."

He gave Castiel a listless look before turning his back to him. "I'll be fine." He spoke, denying every aspect of impending doom before running off into the woods, the tree branches shaking for a few moments where he'd disappeared. He jogged, even though his thighs and calves complained, and looked around his surroundings to make sure he wasn't being followed by anything.

Blue eyes watched for a moment as Dean went off into the brush. Cas shook his head and started running in the other direction, allowing the dim fire in his hands to light the way. This forest was thick with trees, and Jotunn could be anywhere with Tom. He tried pacing his breathing to avoid getting a cramp as his legs were sore from their earlier jog. More trees. More trees. Still no sign of any clues.

Dragging himself on, it was a few hours later when Dean realized two things. Number one, he didn't yet have a lead and wouldn't if he continued in the dark. Number two, he needed to sleep. He sat down, having found a natural hollow in a tree trunk just big enough for him to fit in. Everything hurt. Dean paid it no mind as he curled up, shivering, and tried to force himself to sleep. There would be no contact with anyone or anything. Not for a while. He quickly was able to shut himself down, and soon, Dean was finally sleeping.

Cas sighed and leaned against a tree to get his bearings straight. Looking at his watch, it was almost eleven-thirty at night. As much as he wanted to keep pressing on, he needed to rest at least for a couple of hours. Looking up at the tree he was leaning against, he figured he could climb up and grab the lowest branch to hoist himself up to higher ground for a napping spot.

Snuffing the fire out of his hand, he bent down at my knees and managed to grab the branch. Leveraging his feet on the trunk, he pulled himself up and onto the branch. His hands were scraped up from the bark, but it was okay for now. Balancing himself, he sighed and closed his eyes to go into that familiar meditative sleep.

Dean had an unsettling dream about him having to watch Jotunn torture Tom and Castiel, while Dean was chained and forced to watch it happen. When Jotunn was standing on his hind legs, hooves raised to bring down upon the two unfortunate souls; that's when Dean woke up. Cramps ate at him, along with hunger. It was time to get moving now.

Getting up and standing to his feet, it was only two in the morning as he looked at his watch. Still dark. Dean knew he couldn't go back to sleep, but that he'd be sleep deprived when this was over. This, he considered it day two. Day two of this fucked up journey to save the last of his line. He began to walk.

The faint sound of crickets chirping stirred Castiel awake. He had to catch himself from falling off the branch. Taking a breath and hopping to the ground, he flinched, seeing as how his legs were still sore. His stomach growled, wanting some type of food. No time to go scavenging right now. Once he lit the flame in his hand, his stomach twisted at the sight he saw. There were antler marks on a nearby tree. It could have been any deer or moose, but the first thought that came to mind was Jotunn. Had he been here earlier? Hopefully, not while Cas was sleeping.

Something was off in that forest, Dean knew it. His eyes widened as he saw what looked like some kind of markings on a tree nearby. He walked towards it, brushing his hand over the markings. To his surprise, they looked like they'd been there for a very long time. Then shock paralyzed him. These woods were ancient. They had not been tampered with in ages. No. Millenia. It had been millennia since a human had set foot here. The thought sent shivers down his spine.

Brushing off the chills he got as he felt the markings on the tree, Cas pushed forward with his flame as the sun wasn't out yet. He kept his eyes open, and his finger ready on his pistol to fire. As he kept walking, he slowed down his stride once he started thinking about the trees was moving towards him. Deprivation of food and water shouldn't act this quickly. He turned around quickly, thinking he had felt something on his shoulder.

Unbeknownst to them, Jotunn was watching their every step, and creating illusions or dreams now to make the two of them go crazy. The rune symbols on the trees weren't illusions, though. But Jotunn was indeed toying with their minds. At certain intervals, Dean thought he saw Tom or Castiel speared up in a tree, gored, and hung to death. But they were illusions. It was going to be a hard time trying to do this. Both humans were fatigued, dirty, scared shitless, and weak. They were easy mind tricking targets for the godly Jotunn.

"Damn it." Cas stated while trying to shake off the itching feeling of eyes watching his every move. He had only ever been in an altered state of mind one other time than this. It was when someone slipped a pill in his drink when he first went out to a bar. Luckily for him, nothing else happened because the guy wasn't bright enough to not make himself noticeable when he was following Cas out of the bar. That was one of the reasons he never drinks now. A loud scream in his head shook him out of his thoughts, and he instantly fired off his pistol as a reaction. The bullet stuck into one of the trees, somehow not lighting it on fire.

Far off in the woods, Dean thought he heard a gunshot. His body shook, but he stilled himself. Continuing his walking, it felt like someone's stare was drilling holes in his skull. He tried his best to block it out, and it felt colder than it really was, making Dean shiver. He had to block this out, or else he was going to go insane out here and die of madness. He stopped walking and closed his eyes to gather his sanity. All was utterly silent. Suddenly, a stick snapped. Dean opened his eyes.

The former officer stood still catching his breath. That was one bullet down. He had four more just in case. Castiel felt like his chest was tightening up. No. No. It was an illusion. He could still breathe. There was fog starting to gather around his feet, and he looked around, trying to figure out where it came from. Suddenly, he felt his legs weakening, and he collapsed to the ground breathing in this fog. His vision got more oppressive, and soon he was passed out cold.

The silence after the stick snapped was thick in the air, making Dean claustrophobic. He started to hyperventilate, and he was terrified. Looking around wildly, it felt like the trees were moving towards him, pressing him in on all sides. Suddenly, his legs buckled beneath him, making him fall to the ground. He gave in, passing out to end his terror.

Castiel's head was pounding as he started to come to. Groaning a bit out of annoyance, he slowly started to sit up and held his head. As he opened his eyes, he saw that he was in some type of cave. It was dark and he could hear water dripping in the distance. How'd he get here? He was in the woods before. Jotunn is the only logical explanation.

Dean had been put in the same cave as Castiel and had already been awake, his back pressed against the damp wall as he sat there, not wanting to move. It was dark, and he had no light. He heard a groaning sound a couple feet from him, and scrambled away from it, his long dirty fingernails scraping lightly against the rock. His grimy face and greasy, messy hair made him barely recognizable. The white shirt he'd been wearing was stained brown, and there were bloody spots where he'd been cut.

Deciding to light a flame in his hand to see where the Hell he was, Castiel immediately saw Dean and jumped back a few feet. "Oh, good... it's you. I thought I was here alone." Cas' dark hair was a mess; he had scrapes on his hands, his shirt, and some of his pants had dirt on them. He only now realized he had a cut across his right cheek as he gently touched it with his fingers.

Shaken, not recognizing Castiel right away, Dean immediately pressed himself against the cave wall, staring with fear at Castiel. He breathed when he realized it was only him. His shoulders relaxed, and he swallowed, stepping forward. "I haven't seen you for a day and a half, it seems." He spoke his tone low just in case.

Noticing the blood on Castiel's right cheek, he stepped closer until they were no more than probably an inch apart. Dean lifted his thumb and miraculously found a partially clean part on his shirt. He lifted it to gently wipe away the blood, his brows furrowed with worry.

A flinch was earned once Dean softly wiped away the blood on his face, but he relaxed once the pain was gone. His eyes looked into Deans. "My brain feels like it got put into a blender. I only know what time and day it is because of my watch." He sighed, resting his head on Dean's shoulder. "Please tell me I wasn't the only one hallucinating out in the woods."

Hesitantly, Dean put one arm around Castiel's shoulders awkwardly. "No..." he whispered. "You weren't." He finished, remembering the hallucinations that had come his way. Dean didn't know whether to hug him or not, so he just stood there awkwardly. Eventually, tears had made clean lines down his dirty face. There had been a lot of emotions in his hallucinations.

Lifting his head up a bit, Cas saw tear marks trailing down Dean's cheeks. He wasn't going to ask him what his experience since it was clearly stressful. Using his thumbs, he wiped Dean's cheeks a little from his tears. "I apologize if you heard a gunshot. That was me. I heard a scream in my head and fired it on instinct. I'm surprised I didn't start a forest fire." He added the last sentence to hopefully ease the tension his partner was feeling

He was silent, closing his eyes for a few moments, emotional agony consuming him for a while until he let it go. "It's... It's okay." Dean whispered, wrapping his other arm around Castiel and pulling him closer. He knew this was not the time to be upset. He just needed a moment to get his bearings. Dean rubbed Castiel's back comfortingly, both to himself and him.

A quiet sigh exited Castiel's lips as he lightly rubbed Dean's shoulders. Both of them were tense after what just happened. Sleep-deprived, hungry, thirsty, and somewhat scraped up. Now it was time to survive and accomplish their goal. It was comforting to know that Dean was alive and in front of him; that gave him some reassurance about this madness they got sucked into. "I'm ready when you are. I'll rub your shoulders as long as you need me to."

Silence passed between them for a couple of heartbeats before Dean finally pulled away a little. He cupped Castiel's cheeks and looked into his eyes, emotion choking him up like a great cloud. "Just in case we don't make it out of here alive..." he whispered, nearly crying. "I love you, Castiel."

The former officer refused to admit the idea of them not coming out alive together. Maybe he was just too stubborn about their survival, while Dean was realistic. He smiled and held Dean's face close to his while kissing him sensually before pulling away a few centimeters. "I love you too, Dean. I always have."

Mixed emotions poured through his body like a river as they shared a sensual kiss. Their breaths mingled as they pulled away a few centimeters. Dean was too choked up to say anything, he knew he'd start sobbing if he tried to say a word, so he just brushed his thumb over Castiel's cheekbones in a silent reply.

Suddenly, the surroundings changed, and there was a blinding light. In the last second, Dean pulled Cas close so as not to lose him again. When he opened his eyes, they were standing in a small closed clearing; the walls were rock and had rune markings on them. Dean let go of Castiel when seeing someone else there. Tom.

Cas had closed his eyes when the flash of light surrounded them. It did hurt a little bit since they were previously in a dark cave. As he opened them, he spotted Tom sitting down in this new area. Castiel let go of Dean, so he was able to go see his cousin. He hoped this wasn't another illusion caused by Jotunn and that Dean's cousin was still in one piece.

As soon as he felt Castiel's hands vanish from his body, he took a few tentative steps towards what he thought was Tom. His image rippled, and disappeared. Dean then struggled to hold back tears, pounding on the nearby wall to hold back sobs. That's when he noticed the knife. The handle stuck up from the ground, and Dean reached down and pulled it out of the earth, and looked at the rune symbols on the wall. It was a message...a message only he could decipher.

He turned to Castiel again. "If we are to get out of here alive and get Tom for real, we have to cut each other. Five on each arm. Ten cuts in total for each of us. But one has to do it to the other. It's a loyalty test." He whispered. He held the knife by the blade and held it out to Castiel. "You go first, go ahead, do it to me first."

Before Castiel could object, he knew there was no other way to get around this. He never wanted to place a blade against Dean's skin that wasn't used for medical purposes. The cuts didn't have to be deep, right? Cas reluctantly took the knife from Dean's hand and decided to make it as quick as possible. He moved his wrist in a fluid motion, leaving five surface cuts on his left arm. Pausing for a moment, he then swiped five cuts on Dean's right arm. "Okay...your turn on me now."

Even though they were surface cuts and were executed quickly, they burned like Hell. Dean saw the rune symbols were inscribed on the blade, too. They formed the word 'fire.' Which meant that even surface cuts burned like fire. Dean but his lower lip from the pain he experienced, gathering himself. He took the knife from Castiel's hands and hovered it above the arm he was going to cut first. It was the longest hesitation he'd ever had before he finally got on with it.

He flashed five surface cuts on Castiel's left arm, then his right. Dean looked at the wall again, and saw that another row of runes had appeared under it. "This is some kind of ritual, then." He concluded. "Okay. Now, we have to do the same thing. One single cut...on our necks." He finished, his voice dropping to a low whisper. He handed the knife back to Castiel, closed his eyes, and lifted his chin. It was not to be fatal, thankfully.

Castiel bit his tongue as the blade burned cuts into his skin. That hurt more than an ordinary knife does. "This is...a ritual if I ever heard of one. I'd rather not cut you unless this has a higher purpose and is unavoidable. I can only imagine what else we will have to do. Hopefully not what I'm thinking..." He trailed off before taking the blade back from Dean. His eyes lingered on the blood before he gave a silent apology with his gaze to Dean. He didn't want to cut near the main artery, so he turned Dean around and sliced the back of his neck in a vertical motion.

After that was taken care of, Dean did the same to Castiel, this time without hesitation. Now, there was one thing left to do. Dean looked at the palm of his shaking hand and pressed the tip of the knife to it, before pushing it in further and cutting into his palm, cutting more profound than any of their cuts had been. He wanted to scream but refused to, even though the pain was truly blinding. Dean cut the symbol into his palm and tucked the knife into his back pocket. His hand was red with blood, and every one of his cuts was paining as if they were broken bones. Dean looked at the palm of his hand and then placed it against the wall.

The surroundings changed again, and they were at the path that Jotunn had taken to escape, the road leading back to the cabin.

Tom stood there, and his eyes widened as he saw them. "Holy shit, Jotunn gave you the Ritual of Loyalty." He spoke.

Dean gave a shocked look. How did he know...?

Once Tom had spoken up for the first time, and Cas got a sense of his surroundings, he furrowed his brows. How could Tom have known what they were doing? And how did he know Jotunn's name? It was clear insight that they had cuts on them from a knife since there was fresh blood, but no one should know the reason behind the cuts. "I...Wait...How did you know of all people what we were just doing? We did all this to save you from Jotunn running off to you doing who knows what." Tom didn't look like he was severely injured or on the brink of death. In fact, he just looked dirty with some minor cuts

"I don't think you need to know how I know that. I think we need to get out of here." Tom spoke.

"True, true," Dean muttered.

The three of them began to walk along the path leading back to the cabin. Suddenly, Jotunn appeared from the trees and blocked their way to safety.

On instinct, Castiel pulled Tom behind Dean and himself to prevent something else from happening to the man. He stayed silent and eyed Jotunn, watching for any sudden movements. He made sure not to point his pistol at Jotunn and kept it in his waistband.

Jotunn snorted, seemingly eyeing each of them. Then, he dipped his head and faded away in the gentle breeze, as if he'd never been there. A small iron circle dropped to the ground, in which Dean picked up. It had the same rune symbol on it that he had on his shoulder and hand. He held it and stared out into the forest. "Come on." He spoke solemnly, leading the way in silence as they made their way back to the cabin.

Seeing the cabin within walking distance made Cas breathe a sigh of relief. He was sure it was real this time since Tom was here. He and Dean were both in rough condition after being out in the ancient woods. As they walked, a thought popped into his head. Was it all a coincidence that the Winchester cabin was right near the woods Jotunn seemed to enjoy living in? Now that he reflected on it, he could feel the god's presence everywhere in those woods. His eyes were always watching.

They walked and walked, and eventually, Dean's legs buckled under him from the pain of soreness. Tom carefully kneeled beside him until he got up again. The three then continued. The silence over the woods was good after so long. There was a shout in the direction of the cabin, and the band rushed out with joyous calls. They stopped when they saw the three's conditions.

This whole time Castiel had been mentally blocking out the physical pain he was in from their journey into the woods. He began to get a side cramp from being severely dehydrated, and he was exhausted. As much as he hated to admit it to himself, he was incredibly weak right now. He let out a shaky breath after seeing the rest of the group. "Finally."

Struggling to keep himself standing from weakness, Dean walked forward until he finally exhaled the last wheeze of a breath. He fell forward, and his vision went black. "Oh shit, look at his wounds," Sam spoke quietly.

"Look, they've both got them. These two are in bad condition. Get Dean to the extra room. Castiel too. They need attention." Tom spoke, taking command instantly. Dean and Castiel were guided to the extra room, and Castiel was given water and food, and his wounds were tended to. They had to wait until Dean woke before they could take care of him.

As Cas was guided inside and Dean was passed out from pure exhaustion, he coughed violently in his arm due to choking on his saliva from his mouth being so dry. He reached for a water glass and drank it all with a shaky hand. His eyes looked at Dean, and he removed the pistol from his waistband before placing the gun on the chest of drawers with the safety on. Cas wasn't in the mood to eat right now, even though he felt hunger. He was just sore and tired more than anything.

A couple of minutes passed, and there was some incoherent muttering from Dean, who sat up. His muscles were sore and shaking. There was caked blood on his arms and the back of his neck. He glanced around the room before laying back down. He sensed that someone else was here through his pained exhaustion. "Water. I need water, whoever the Hell is here..." He croaked out, his voice hoarse from disuse. Dehydration clawed at his throat, and there was no spit in which he could swallow to make it less scratchy.

Castiel perked up when he heard Dean and turned around. There was another full glass by the one Cas drank. He quickly grabbed it and carefully tried sitting Dean up more so he didn't choke. "Dean. It's me, Castiel. I have water for you." He lightly touched the glass against Dean's mouth for him to sip.

He reached out a shaking hand to secure the glass a little more, tipping it up to drink it. Dean didn't stop until the glass was empty, and he was at least partially satisfied. He leaned back against the wall, taking in great gasps of clean air. It was good to be safe, to not be upon the brink of death. His green gaze took in Castiel's famished state, knowing they looked just about the same. He tried to get up, only to gasp and lay a hand over his ribcage. Dean knew he had a fractured rib bone, but he didn't know or care when he'd gotten it. He looked at Castiel, his gaze helpless and without hope and comfort.

Cas helped Dean move into a more comfortable position, so he didn't have to strain himself. "Careful. I can't fix a broken rib. That'll have to heal on its own." He sighed and scooted a little closer to Dean, happy to be by him with the both of them alive. Seeing as how everything hurt, it would take at least a few days to be completely mended. His blue eyes met with Dean's green ones. "We will need some time to recuperate and heal ourselves from our injuries."

Nodding, Dean tried to take long, slow breaths, as anything else hurt like Hell. He lifted his arms to examine the five cuts on his arms. They were burning like fire, including the one on the back of his neck. Dry blood caked over the wounds and partially on his arms, and he saw with a shock that a few were still open and bleeding. A shudder shot through him at the fact that the man sitting next to him-his lover-had made those cuts. The thought made him dizzy, and he let his arms fall to his sides. Broken and miserable, he leaned his head against Castiel's shoulder, tears forming clean lines down his cheeks.

The former officer's heart sank, watching Dean look at the cuts and then start getting emotional. It pained him to the core that he was the one who made those slices on his skin. He never wanted to hurt Dean in any shape or form, but yet he did. For that ritual. Cas realized that he needed to cry over feeling guilty about what he did to his partner. His chest felt heavy, and he stifled a cry as he held Dean close, careful not to touch his ribcage.

It hit him then, as Castiel held him close that he'd done the same to him. He caught the fact that his partner had stifled a cry, and decided it was best if both of them just let it out. "Let it out, Cas. Let it run." Dean spoke softly, stifling a cry himself. "Just let it all out, I don't care how long it takes." He added, letting his own tears fall, starting to sob. It was inevitable.

That was it. That was all Castiel needed to fully cry. He allowed his emotions to run free through his tears as he held Dean closer. Cas sobbed along with his partner as the memories of them out in the forest played through their minds. He never wanted to go through something like that again with Dean, he didn't want to see Dean suffer. But he would always be his rock in times of weakness, as well as Dean being his.

His sobs caused his broken rib to hurt very badly every time he let out a sob, and it showed clear as day. He not only sobbed but let cries of pain deep through as well, as he couldn't stop it even if he wanted to. Dean let his emotions go where they wanted now, and he also felt anger in himself for a few moments as he cried. He hated it, being weak and pathetic as he was. Despised it with a passion.

As Cas cried, his thoughts jumped to Dean, having never seen him cry before. This was the first time. His ears picked up sobs of pain and sadness from Dean's mouth and knew that if he had fractured a rib, crying was painful, much less breathing at a reasonable rate. Thankfully, it wouldn't break more from letting out emotion. Castiel bent his head down and nestled it into the crook of Dean's neck softly as more tears streamed.

A while later, Dean had stopped his crying, along with Cas, and noticed that it was late in the night. He wanted food and to get clean, but most of all, he needed sleep. "We should get to sleep. And separately. I know, but if we sleep in separate beds here, it'll be better." Dean whispered, his lips brushing Castiel's dirty, greasy hair.

As much as Cas wanted to snuggle, he agreed with Dean's point he was making. He yawned and rubbed his eyes, deciding to rest first and then shower and eat tomorrow morning or whenever he woke up. Placing a kiss on Dean's lips, he looked into his eyes. "Sleep well. I know we could both use it. You stay here, I'll go to the room next door to this one that we were originally in."

"Okay," Dean replied, offering a small smile. "I'm just going to take a super quick shower and get into bed. That's all. You go to sleep, you need it more than me." He spoke, standing to his feet. Pain stabbed at his rib, but he hid it from his facial expression. There had been some clothes of his set out nearby, and he grabbed them, pressing a kiss to Castiel's forehead before walking away to go take a shower. He had a plan of sorts. Memorizing it as he went to the bathroom and shut the door behind him, undressing quickly and getting into the shower. It made his stomach twist with guilt, but it had to be done. He sighed as the water falling from his body turned brown and red as it hit the floor.

As he left the room, Dean was in, he quietly shut the door and moved next door to their original place, but not before grabbing his gun and taking it with him. He opened the top drawer and stashed it in there for now. Eyeing the bed, he decided he would wash the sheets in the laundry room after he woke up and not worry about it for now. Plopping himself down on his side, he flinched a bit as his body was sore everywhere. A sigh escaped his lips as he got comfortable, and slowly closed his eyes, drifting off into a much-needed sleep.

When he was done with his shower, Dean put on clean clothes and brushed his hair. He felt clean for the first time in a long while. Knowing Castiel was asleep now, along with everyone else, it was time to move on. He grabbed a hiking backpack from the room he was in. Being as quiet as possible, he packed clothes, a few bottles of water, his own pistol, a few cases of ammunition, a machete, and the most massive kitchen knife he could find, several energy bars, chocolate bars, some chili cans, and matches. He strapped a sleeping bag and a tent set up a thing to his full backpack and put on a heavy waterproof coat and trousers. He packed a first aid kit and bandages.

Dean put on heavy snow boots, and lastly, wrote a note for everyone. The sign read, "Everyone. You may have noticed how much is missing and me also. I've gone to end this thing for good. Don't worry about me, I'll return. I will warn you, it'll be awhile. It condo take a week or more. But don't worry about it, I'll be fine. Stay with each other, and don't go outside past nine at night unless you absolutely must. Most importantly, DO NOT follow me." When he was down writing it, he left the paper out on the table, and quietly left the house. His rib complained, but it would be fine. Everything was gonna be fine once he did this. With that, he walked off into the night and began the perilous hike in a last attempt to save what mattered.


	13. Chapter 13

As Castiel was sleeping, he recalled having a vivid dream. He was running through those same woods again that they just escaped. Except this time, he was the one controlling the forest, not Jotunn. It was a strange feeling having that much power over nature. All of a sudden, his body ended up exploding with energy and fire surrounding him. It was chilling to him as how he just watched the forest burn entirely while he was in the middle of it, with not a care in the world. In the dream, he seemed to genuinely enjoy watching everything turn to ash. He felt uneasy watching himself with a smile that was cold and emotionless.

By the time the moon had made its way high above, Dean had gone to a part of the forest, a small clearing, in which he had thought was kind enough to settle down in. He set up a tent and put his sleeping bag inside it, keeping his gun near him, loaded, the safety turned on. Dean went inside the tent and slipped into the sleeping bag, laying his head on the pillow. He closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep. This journey was to be hard and pressing for him. He had not the faintest clue if he would make it out alive or not.

Some hours had passed, and the sunlight was shining through the window, landing on Castiel's face. He mumbled and got up, stretching his back before hopping off the bed and removing the dirty sheets. Undressing, he tossed his dirty clothes in a pile along with the sheets for laundry. Turning on the hot water, he flinched as the heat touched his body but soon felt relaxed, watching all the dirt wash off of him.

The band members still inside the cabin got up and began moving, Tom had taken a shower last night. They moved around until Sam noticed the paper and read it out loud to everyone. "What are we going to do?" He asked.

"We can't follow. He told us not to. We must only stay here and hope he will stay alive." Tom replied. They all gathered around the extension of the kitchen around the note, leaving space for Castiel to join when he came out. A heavy silence hung in the air.

Out in the forest, Dean awoke from sunlight, and got up, packing everything and eating a can of chili. He began his trek further into the woods now.

After washing himself off, he sighed and hopped out, put some fresh clothes on. He grabbed the dirty sheets and clothes in his arms and opened the bedroom door heading for the laundry room down the hall. Turning on the washer, he started a load up and exited, heading into the living area. He furrowed his brows, noticing everyone had somber expressions on their faces. "What's wrong? Did something happen?"

No one spoke a word in reply. Tom stood up, grabbing the paper with Dean's scrawled sentences on it. He walked up to Castiel, setting a hand on his shoulder for a moment before handing him the article, and walking away to sit back down. They all looked at him.

Dean continued to walk, knowing he would have to trek for miles to find the place Castiel and him had gotten lost at while trying to rescue Tom. This time, he wouldn't let illusions bring him down. They were only illusions. Dean stopped when he heard a rustling in the trees nearby.

He immediately recognized Dean's handwriting. Castiel read the letter at a reasonable pace and the fire within him flared up due to many emotions coming to the surface. He didn't know the paper had turned to ash in his hands until he saw it scatter onto the floor. Well, there goes keeping that a secret. That was the least of his concerns right now. As he looked up at the rest of them, he questioned. "So, you all just sit here twirling your thumbs?"

"He specifically said not to follow. Besides, he survived out there once, just a couple hours ago. I know Dean better than you do, Castiel." Tom spoke quietly. "He's a strong man. I'm confident he doesn't need or want any of our help. We've got a simple task, stay here, and manage without getting killed. Relax, he's going to be fine." He finished.

The band seemed perplexed, staring at the ashes on the floor.

Dean looked around, taking out his pistol and turning the safety off. A crunch of leaves made him turn around to face a man about the same age as him. He had dark brown hair and hazel eyes, and was dirty and had cuts on him. "Who are you?" Dean asked.

"I-my name is Luke. I am not a threat to you. I am just trying to get out of here." The man who called himself Luke spoke quietly.

"Well. You can travel with me. I'm going to hunt that creature in these woods down." Dean replied, letting his gun down.

Luke nodded, and they began to walk side by side, deeper into the forest.

Castiels jaw clenched a bit. He breathed outwardly, not wanting to say anything to Dean's family he would regret. "Let's not forget I survived out there alongside him. There is a lot you don't know about me as well. Now is as good a time as ever for you to get to know since I'm with your cousin and would do anything for him. I don't doubt his capabilities. I don't doubt that he's not strong. We have been through Hell and high water alongside one another before we got officially got together. As you can see, I am little agitated with what I just did to the paper on the floor. It appears I've been indirectly assigned the job of keeping you all alive..."

He mutters while going back to his room and grabbing his sniper rifle with a belt of ammo, along with his pistol. Looking into his bag, he grabbed his machete and clipped it on his leg. Coming back out into the living room, he stood in front of the band members with a more severe gaze. "Any questions about me, I could answer?"

Glances were exchanged within the members, but they shook their heads.

A whole two weeks later, Dean had not returned. He and Luke, still together after all this time, were injured, broken inside, dirty, grimy, sweaty, severely dehydrated, and pretty much starving to death. They'd eaten the last of the food a couple of hours before, and it hadn't been much. Just two squares of chocolate was what they got.

Luke and Dean had grown closer and closer than they should be. They had a lot in common, so it was easy. Dean had realized something quite unfortunate-that he was falling for the man now walking beside him. They hadn't directly encountered Jotunn, but Dean had learned that Luke's three friends that he'd been hiking with had been murdered by the creature. One of them had been sacrificed to it by a group of people who were now dead. Both men had abandoned their supplies along the way.

Suddenly, in front of them, a pathway opened up. A group of people was outside, near a cabin, and someone not far from the forest, with what looked like a gun, was patrolling.

Two weeks. Two fucking weeks. Castiel sat outside on the front porch of the cabin keeping his eyes peeled for any sign of...well anything at this point. He only kept himself fed and bathed the surviving minimum to stay alive. He even started spending nights outside on the porch to keep everyone safe. Last night he had a terrible dream of Dean passionately kissing another man. It made his blood boil just thinking about it. The rest of the crowd was probably wondering why he was in a sour mood. At this point, he didn't care about demonstrating his fire abilities as he made a target out front and was shooting fire at it earlier. He still had all of his gear on, ready for any battles that could take place.

Tom looked up at the two figures on the path to his right. "Hey...I think I see two men out there. Beyond recognition, and they look terribly weak." He spoke. "Wait a moment...holy shit! That's Dean!" Tom suddenly shouted.

Commotion arose as everyone stood up. "Who's that with him?"

"I don't know."

"What's going on?"

"Is that really him?" The band members spoke.

Meanwhile, Dean and Luke were dragging ass to the cabin, trying to get there before their last remaining breaths. Luke collapsed out of Dean's arms, and Dean murmured some encouragement in his ear, and he got up again. Both of them were in terrible states. But despite it all, hope gleamed in the depths of their eyes as the two held tightly onto each other. Trying to survive.

The band immediately started rushing forward to help them. They needed rest, both of them. Yet, neither Dean nor Luke would let go of the other, so everyone was just forced to accept that as they were led towards the cabin.

Castiels' head perked when he saw movement out of the corner of his eye, and he smiled when he saw Dean. His smile immediately turned into a scowl once he the other man with him. That man was the same one he had in his dreams.

Clenching his jaw, he grabbed his rifle and carried it out in front of him in a ready to fire position with his hands. He felt the fire inside him burn wildly as he strode up to Dean, stopping him from walking any further. His tone was serious and cold. "Dean. Mind telling me who this man this? You were kissing him, weren't you? Out in the woods? Leaving me here forced to watch your family?"

The others carefully took Luke, who was weaker than Dean, to the cabin, despite his whimpers and protests. Dean stared after him, feeling pain set in. "Cas. I haven't got time for this. I'm weak and in pain, and I nearly died. I'm in no state for talking." He spoke, turning his head away to cough violently, his body shaking because of dehydration. There was some blood on his hand when he looked at it, and his heart lurched. "We can talk about this later," Dean spoke, walking past Castiel and up the stairs of the cabin, feeling the cold night air set in as the sun descended. He paused near the wall, turning to look at the sunset, his back facing the wall behind him. He thought he'd never live to see another day.

His blue eyes narrowed, and Castiel let out an irritated gruff before starting to pace in a line outside the cabin. He wasn't about to go back in there with the two of them. He was livid and knew he would tear the cabin apart. Staying outside, he decided to throw blistering hit fireballs that were blue with scorching heat and incinerated a single tree, controlling the flames so that it wouldn't spread.

In his weak state, he quickly became irritated. "Fine." He spoke weakly, coughing again. "You want to talk about it now, while I'm on my last breaths? Fuck it, then. His name is Luke. And he wanted my help. And yeah, over two weeks, I got close with him. There. That's what you wanted, you got it." Dean snapped, his voice cracking. He suddenly felt some kind of sense of foreboding. "How about you try being on the brink of death sometimes, in the middle of nowhere, I'm sure you'd like it a whole fucking lot," Dean muttered under his breath, pain stabbing at him at every point.

Castiel snapped. He couldn't take it anymore as he grabbed Dean by his shirt collar, holding him up against the wall. "How about you keep your fucking mouth shut with shit you don't know? You don't know what I've experienced before I was assigned to you. I've been on the brink of death so many times that even you wouldn't be able to handle it. In all kinds of terrains. I bet you were planning this all along. Bringing me out to your little cabin, us running around in the woods with a god chasing us, and then you desert me once again to find some bastard begging for attention." He paused and took a breath. "Who knows what else you did with him? I don't want to find out because it's sickening to think about how it was so easy for you to betray me. You even cut me off from your mind, that's how I know you planned this..." He sneered with an intense gaze.

He gave a gasp as he suddenly felt himself pinned against the wall with force. Castiel's words shattered him. "N-no!" He cried, tears welling up in his eyes. "I didn't plan this, I swear! I would never-" he coughed violently once again. "I would never do that to you, Cas. Please...don't do this to me." Agony, physical, and mental hit him. Dean could feel every muscle and wound he'd received screaming. "I didn't plan this..." He spoke, his voice dripping with pain and exhaustion. "Please," he lifted his hand to briefly touch one of Castiel's cheeks and then let it go. "Cas..." he whispered the name, his voice breaking, one would be able to hear the emotional pain this was causing him in it.

At this point, Castiel had numbed all his emotions to not feel the incredible amount of heartache and emotional turmoil he was in. He heard it in Dean's voice, but he didn't accept it at all. His voice lowered. "I don't believe you. I really don't. Even if I had a gun held up to my head, and believe me I have, I wouldn't betray you. It appears we don't know everything about each other, now do we? I don't know who you are anymore. Right now, you're not the same man I met at the prison block. The one I was supposed to protect. How can I protect something that doesn't give a shit about me?" He closed his eyes and swiped Dean's face with his fist in a right hook, skillful enough to cause pain, but not break anything. "Have your family help you. I did my duty. I'm leaving now. Don't come looking for me, and then you'll see how I felt every time you left me." He stated as he started his way down the opposite direction of where the woods were. Cas was headed towards a gravel path covered by trees.

After that, everything was agony for Dean. Every step, every waking second. Now, about a week and a half later, he'd broken up with Luke, but they were still friends. He sat at the table with the band and him. Tom spoke something, and suddenly Dean's internal sanity snapped right in half. "No!" He yelled. "No, I don't want anything from you or anyone else!"

And before anyone could say a word, Dean was out of the cabin, out into the pouring rain from the thunderstorm outside. Misery engulfed him. "I'm sorry!" He yelled to the sky. "I fucked up! Just fucking end my life!" Dean screamed. He let out a yell of agony that reflected everything he felt. Anger, pain, sadness, guilt, self-loathing. Then he collapsed, burying his face in his hands and sobbing like he never remembered.

Almost a week and a half had passed since Castiel left the cabin. He was a le to forage for food and managed to catch a few rabbits to eat off of my cooking the meat with his fire powers. It was a useful skill in many ways. He had moments where he sobbed loudly into his arms, not caring if anyone heard him. There were moments of anger where he kicked a tree repeatedly until his shin started to bruise. And finally, there were moments of just staring up at the sky, wondering if he even mattered to Dean anymore. Dean still mattered to him, but right now, he had to protect his emotional well being, and that involved numbing out most emotions and letting them fly out when he needed to. That's one of the reasons he had retreated out in the woods. So Cas wouldn't hurt anyone. He feared what would happen if he ever saw Luke's face again, he would have to keep his distance away for the time being.

Exhaling a deep sigh, Castiel got up from the ground and began trekking back to the cabin. He didn't want to go back, but he knew he had to eventually.

The knife he held in his hand was the solution to all of his problems, or so he thought. He was too broken to go back now. He'd never return to who he used to be. "I hope that I can go to Hell. I deserve it. So send me there, send me where I belong when I do this. I'm not going to be whole again. Ever. It's better if I'm not here. So, thank you for the life that I lived even though there were rough times. I enjoyed it through most of it." Dean spoke up, hoping there was a God up there to hear him. He felt the sharp, cold metal press against his throat. Closing his eyes, he hesitated. Why he did not know.

Castiel was almost back to the cabin, and his shin was hurting from kicking the tree too hard yesterday. He would look at it when he returned. In the distance, he thought he saw Dean outside in the pouring rain. Taking a closer look, he eyed through his scope and noticed Dean had a blade up to his throat. Carefully aiming for the blade itself, he heated up a bullet to melt the steel knife, preventing him from making a rash decision. After he fired and saw the knife fling out of Dean's hands, he started walking towards the cabin once more.

Confusion made him look in the direction it had gone. He slammed his fist against the ground and gave another yell and stood to his feet. That plan didn't work. Suffering was the other option. He'd just have to accept that he'd be alone the rest of his life.

Sighing, he turned and made his way into the cabin, going straight to his room and closing the door, taking off his wet clothes and replacing them, getting into the bed nearby and pulling the sheets over himself, facing the wall. He closed his eyes and blocked it all out.

Castiel wasn't surprised by Dean's reaction. Surely, he was beating himself up so much by now. At least, he felt guilty and didn't feel justified. As he stepped up to the front door, Cas opened it and saw the other members hanging out together...with Luke. So he was still here after all. Sighing, he grabbed a hot washcloth from the kitchen and rolled up his jeans to clean off his shin that was bruised and bloodied.

Everyone looked towards Castiel as he came in. Tom growled. "You, you should be ashamed of yourself! You destroyed him! My cousin is broken because of you, you hear me?" He shouted.

Sam cast an apologetic look at Castiel and carefully led Tom away. It was silent for a few moments.

"I believe I'm the cause of this. So I think you should all be blaming me." Luke said quietly.

Dan lay a hand on his shoulder. "It wasn't just your fault. It's just that Dean is broken but not broken beyond repair. He's close, though. Luke found him making a suicide attempt two nights ago. He just nearly made it from blood loss." Dan spoke, half to Luke and half to Castiel. "Welcome back. We've missed you." Dan added.

Cas stayed silent, taking in everything the group had said, Tom was understandably upset. It was his family, after all. After washing his leg, he tossed the rag into the trash and stood in front of everyone, pinching the bridge of his nose before speaking. "Luke, right? I'm assuming you didn't know that Dean and I were together. He probably didn't tell you. I'd rather hear what you two did together from him. I'm not mad at you. I'm just angry with the situation because I was naive to think something like this could never happen..." He sighed heavily. "Dean and I are both broken right now for different reasons. I just saved his life outside, so that alone should tell you that I still care for him. He will have to build my trust back up because I'm hurt. I could never hate him. I can promise all of you that I would give my own life to save him if I had to, he is still incredibly special to me. I had built Dean back up before when he was broken, there's a lot you guys don't know about us from before, but that's not important right now. What's important is that I go try and talk to him. Is anyone objecting to that? Because I'm still going to do it anyway." He looked at everyone with a blank expression.

Silence hung in the air like a cloud. After a few moments, everyone nodded. Just a simple, wordless gesture.

In the room he was isolated in, Dean was in a light sleep. He actually hadn't slept in days, and he was just now getting his first bout of it. The curtains were closed, providing mostly darkness to the room, but someone could still see.

Cas gave everyone a nod and walked to the room where Dean was. He slowly opened the door and headed inside, seeing that Dean was lightly breathing under the covers. He must be sleeping. Taking a chair, Castiel sat on it and guarded the door so that no one was to come in and bother them. He gently sat down his rifle and pistol, along with his machete. He would wait for Dean to wake up so they could talk.

Noises caused him to open his eyes. But he didn't move a muscle, knowing precisely who was there. He didn't move for several minutes until he willed himself not to break down. Dean took the covers off himself and sat up, avoiding Castiel's eyes. He did not speak. He looked terrible, though, physically as well as mentally. He hadn't been eating, drinking, or sleeping well at all.

Even Castiel had to admit Dean looked horrible. And he was the one out in the woods for a week and a half. Sure, Cas was a little scruffy looking and somewhat dirty with a damaged leg, but he thought he looked better than Dean did. He knew he was going to have to be the one to initiate the conversation. "Dean. We need to talk. I know you don't want to, but it needs to happen, given everything that's happened between us. We have been through too much together to just push this under the rug."

Dean felt his stomach twist, he'd known that was coming. With a weak cough, he slowly looked to Castiel, but then a spark of guilt began to in his eyes, and he looked away. "Okay. We can talk about this then. You're right, we shouldn't just abandon us." Dean spoke, his voice cracking. His vocal cords sounded almost torn, a sign he'd done a lot of yelling and screaming over the past couple of days.

Hearing Dean's voice crack was clearly due to him straining his voice all week long. Castiel still had a heart, even if it was hurt right now. He didn't like seeing Dean in this state. Deciding to speak first and have him respond would be best to rest his voice. "I was not apologizing for my intense reaction almost two weeks ago. I feel it was justified, but I will say to you that doing that, leaving you with your family and going off into the woods by myself, was the hardest thing I've ever done. I did that because I had too many emotions swirling inside me, and I didn't want to further hurt you or your family. If I may be honest, I was scared of myself at that moment, and I knew I needed to isolate myself to calm down. When I read that letter, I knew you were on a suicide mission, but do I even matter to you when you leave so easily like that? That was the thought I had, and it didn't help when Luke showed up. You were going on a suicide mission. I did not mind guarding your family and keeping them safe, but the context was horrible. I was deeply hurt by your actions and acted impulsively."

Silence ensued Castiel's words that he dreaded so much, but he knew they were right. Guilt flooded him, painful as ever, and he remembered everything that he wanted to forget that he'd done to himself over the week and a half. A cut showed from on his arm, relatively fresh, and he pulled his sleeve back down to hide it. "I know what I did." He spoke quietly. "I also know that an apology won't help, because sorry is never enough. I know I'm a fucking asshole, and I deserve to die. Now..." he trailed off, leaning over to get a knife from the nightstand. He looked at it, a drop of blood dripping off it. He slid it on the floor to Castiel's feet. "Do it. Whatever you want. You know damn well you want to."

Castiel eyed the knife and kicked it under his chair, backward with his foot. "No. I don't want to do that. To you of all people." He stood up and moved over in front of Dean, kneeling down in front of his face. "You don't deserve to die, and neither do I. You're right, an apology won't exactly cut it, but...I am open for you to gain my trust back. I may have shown a side of myself that I thought you'd never see, but I have a heart. I am hurt, but I'm willing to fight for us because I know what we had wasn't just some soap opera. And you know that too, that's why this hurts so much for the both of us. All I ask in return is just some patience. I could never hate you, you still have all of my heart. I suppose the only question I have regarding the whole situation is why? Do you even know the reason? Was it just a moment of weakness and feeling lonely?"

"Well, I thought I wasn't ever going to get out of there alive. I was also starving and dehydrated and sleep-deprived. My mind was clouded. And he was the only one by my side at the moment. It was all just crazy and...and...yeah." He spoke, still not meeting Castiel's eyes. Dean closed his eyes for a few seconds. A tear dropped down his cheek, signaling everything.

As Castiel listened to Dean's response, he knew that they both knew it wasn't an excuse, but it gave a little more clarity as to what Dean experienced out there in the woods. He took his thumb and wiped Dean's single tear off his cheek. "I already talked with Luke before I came here. He understandably didn't say a lot, but I told him that I was not mad at either at you but at the situation that took place. I got the impression that he didn't know we were even together, so I sensed no malicious intent from him. But I'm sure you can understand that I may need to keep my distance from him for a while as you gain my trust back. If you can prove to me that I do matter in your life, that's all I ask."

He shook his head, more tears trailing down his face. "How, Castiel?" he spoke. "How...fuck it, I don't know anymore. I don't know myself, I can't trust myself anymore. I'm too damn broken to know a thing, to know what life is. It's torture, Castiel, fucking torture." His voice raised a little. Dean tilted his head back and laughed, but it was humorless. He smiled at himself, at the fucked up world he lived in.

Cas' gaze softened at Dean's words. He knew Dean was a damaged man, he wasn't ignorant about the situation. Even though he was destroyed himself, he had done more work on himself than Dean had, that's why it seemed like he had his life together more. "When I shot the knife out of your hand outside, I saw you hesitate. If you had gone through with it, I would have been trying to save you outside right now as we speak. Even if you may not be aware of it, you want to live. You're tired and broken, but you want to keep fighting. Somewhere, deep down inside." Hesitating for a moment, Cas decides to wrap his arms around Dean and press his head to his chest. "Let's think about this way. A fresh start. Wiping the slate clean for us and starting off new. It will take some time and effort to get back to where we were originally, but I'm willing to give you that. I want to fight for us because I love you."

In his haze of a battle between himself and his instincts, Dean finally gave in. He curled up to Castiel's body, sniffling. All he wanted was his embrace, his firm, secure arms. The tears he shed quickly dissipated, and his sobs closed down. "Okay." He finally spoke. "Okay, we can try this again. We can have a fresh start." Dean whispered, hooking his arms around Castiel. "We can try this...again.." He spoke, trailing off. Tiredness enclosed him, but he forced himself to stay awake.

Castiel saw how exhausted Dean was, and he knew the man desperately needed sleep. Not letting go of him, he scooted over on top of the bed and embraced him, hoping that would lull him to dreamland. What Dean needed right was rest and comfort that everything was going to be okay with them, even if it would take time and effort to get back to where they were. He had to be Dean's rock right now. "Go to sleep, we will talk more when you wake up and eat."

Nodding slightly, Dean closed his eyes, beginning to fall asleep. Everything was going to be okay, he reassured himself. With the silence and warmth of the room, he was lulled to sleep. He began to slip into a dream.

Seeing that Dean was breathing at a steady pace as he fell asleep, Castiel was able to close his eyes as well. He was tired, more emotionally than anything, since he did sleep out in the forest. His arms snuggled Dean closer to him, as he was relieved that he was still alive. Cas wouldn't be able to live with himself if Dean had been dead when he came back to the cabin. He would've probably run off and survived for as long as he could out in the wilderness.

A couple of hours passed, and Dean was having a nightmare. He jolted awake and looked at his watch. One in the morning. Dean carefully got out of Castiel's arms and spotted a sliding door nearby, leading out to a porch. He slid it open and stepped outside. Taking in deep breaths of air, Dean went over his nightmare. He knew now that he could not go back to sleep, as he was fully rested. He stood at the railing, looking up at the moon. Vaguely, he recalled the nights he'd spent with Luke when they were lost and his own nights alone here where he'd cry himself to sleep. Hereafter, he would wonder what it would be like if it had been different.

Feeling the loss of Dean's warmth up against his body, Castiel slowly opened his blue eyes. He rubbed them and sat upon the bed, spotting Dean out on the porch. He gave the male a few moments to himself before carefully getting up and walking outside with him. Castiel gently laid a hand on his shoulder. "I've always enjoyed the moonlight rather than the sunlight." He states softly.

His muscles tensed when he felt the weight of a hand on his shoulder, but heard Castiel's voice and let them relax. He forced away his thoughts before replying. "I've always enjoyed the night," Dean replied. "Except, of course, when I'm starved and dehydrated almost to death." He lightly jokes. Turning his head away, he coughed into his arm, the force of it making his weak body tremble.

"I'll go get you some nourishment. You're more famished than I am, after all. I was out hunting rabbits for food when you've barely eaten anything." He removes his hand from Dean's shoulder and quietly exits the room to go to the kitchen. Searching around, he spots some granola bars, chips, and a banana. Cas would have cooked something for both of them, but that would involve waking up the others.

One in the morning and he was about to eat. He sighed softly and walked away from the railing, closing the door behind him as he entered the room. Dean sat on the bed, looking at his hands. Without warning, sudden anger surged up in him, and he clawed at his hair with his fingers, tugging at it to cause pain. It lasted for a few moments, and he stopped. The anger dissipated, and he felt a small trickle of blood down his right temple, and looked at his hand, which clutched a small tuft of his hair. He put it in the garbage nearby and hoped Castiel wouldn't notice the blood.

Feeling content with the choices for them, he walked back into their room, with quiet footsteps before closing the door behind him. Castiel sat on the bed and poured the snacks out in front of their laps. "Here's what I could find. I recommend you force yourself to eat as much as you can." His eyes traced back up, heading for Dean's green ones before they stopped on one spec of blood on the man's pants. "Be honest. Where did the blood come from? It was not there before."

Nervousness caused his eyes to flick away from Castiel. He swallowed hard and looked back at him, forcing his gaze to remain level with his. "I got a little angry and tugged at my hair. It caused pain and relieved said anger. I pulled a small tuft of hair from my head, and now it's bleeding a bit. But it's no big deal." He spoke, shrugging, dismissing it as if it was just a tiny thing that meant nothing at all. Dean looked disdainfully at a granola bar. He's eaten enough of those.

Concern flashed through Castiel's eyes, and he took his hand to turn Dean's so he could see what he was talking about. There was blood trailing slightly down his temple. Cas got up and grabbed a washcloth with warm water. He walked over to Dean and pressed the warm cloth to his head where the blood was. No words were spoken until he tossed the towel into the laundry hamper. "Endorphins release happy chemicals, and pain is a source of them...But I'd rather you not do that to yourself. It's only because I care about you even if you do not care for yourself as you should." He spoke before unwrapping a granola bar and chips. Taking his hand, he crunched the chips up into dust and smeared it on the granola bar before handing it out to Dean. "Here. Try it. Promise it'll have more flavor."

Granola bars...but they had been the only thing keeping him and his ex-partner alive. Sighing softly, he took the piece of food without a word and took a tentative bite. A small nod of approval was earned. Suddenly, he looked down at his left arm and noticed a small drop of blood was trailing down it, from under the long sleeve of his shirt. Dean became alarmed. Castiel could not know about what he'd done to himself, it would only cause a rift. He quickly threw the blanket over his shoulders to hide it and hoped the numerous cuts on the other arm wouldn't start bleeding too. He ate his granola bar in silence.

As the former officer was eating some snacks, he noticed Dean's odd behavior but decided to only make a mental note. He wouldn't say anything unless he saw something else going on with him. It appeared he would have to keep a closer eye on him, considering Dean just tugged at his scalp out of a brief moment of anger. He didn't want Dean doing anything lethal to himself. He sighed softly. "Since this is a clean slate for us, I need to tell you a summary of my full past before I was a police officer, and we met. Would you be open to hearing it?"

Dean looked at him, pausing in his eating. "Not now, Castiel." He said his full name since he didn't know if the other was comfortable with him issuing the nickname Dean used.

Before he could utter another word, a noise from the kitchen alerted him. He grabbed his flashlight and stood up, walking out. He didn't turn on the torch until he was sure he saw movement, and he turned it on then, pulling out his pistol and aiming. The beam and his gun were trained on Luke, who had a small chip bag in his hand and was frozen with fear. Silence passed between them as they looked into each other's eyes, unsure of what to say or do.

Cas raised a brow at Dean using his full name since it's been a while he's called him that. Usually, he referred him by the nickname Dean gave him, which he rather enjoyed. Seeing Dean walkout, he followed, but once he caught a glimpse of Luke, Castiel immediately turned back around and sat on the bed. His heart sank low in his chest.

"So, what are you doing at one in the morning with food?" Dean asked.

Luke tilted his chin up. "I could ask you the same thing." He spoke quietly.

There was a tension between them, as well as a slight misery. "What's the real reason you're up?" Dean asked, his tone soft but having some toughness.

Luke looked at him and shook his head. "I had a nightmare. My friends..." he trailed off.

Dean felt a twinge of sympathy and found his foot move forward against its will. But he knew that he was the reason why he still felt miserable. It was wrong, but he even accepted it. And Dean knew that he'd always have a special place for him. No matter what. But he loved Castiel more, he knew that much. "Hey. You're fine, c'mon. Your friends are in a better place, okay? I'm sure they'd want you to stay strong and alive." Dean reassured. "Go back to bed, Luke. And for God's sake, get some sleep."

Castiel mentally cursed himself at his mind drifting off to where they were sharing a kiss again in the kitchen. No. He couldn't think that. If he allowed those thoughts to control him, he would never be happy, and he wanted to be happy with Dean. Like they once were before this whole thing happened. He impulsively wanted to wrap Dean tightly in his arms and leave the cabin to go back home with his partner. He didn't know how Dean truly felt about him anymore. But he should ask him to ease his horrible thought process.

They talked for a few more minutes, and then Dean urged him off to bed. Walking back to the room, Dean turned off his flashlight and set it on the nightstand, along with his 1911. Sitting down on the bed, he looked at Castiel. "Hey." He spoke, taking a bag of chips and opening it, beginning to eat again. "You alright? You seem off track."

Now was the best time if there ever was one. Plus, he needed to be open with Dean and not shut him out because that would only damage them. Castiel swallowed his bite before answering Dean's question and looking him in the eyes. "Dean? What are your honest feelings about me now? After everything? I don't want to start thinking about things that aren't true."

Staring at the floor with the full moonlight touching every inch of the room and them, Dean thought for a long time. Thought about the words, the exposition. Eventually, he took a deep breath. He looked straight into Castiel's eyes. "Love. What is that feeling that everyone feels, whether it's for their mother, father, brother, sister, or anyone else? Well, it's believed no one can really describe said feeling. Only that it's a good feeling to have, and it hurts when it shatters. That's true. Very true. Life is also one of those things no one will ever understand or be able to have a description for. Death is the same. But love can be described in many ways. The rise of your heart in your chest when you see someone you love. The happiness you feel when you're next to someone you hold dear. The eternal bond two shares for one another, never to be broken, but easily shattered if wrongdoing is commenced. When you know who you want to spend the rest of your life with, your soulmate, you know you've found love. Betrayal, mistakes, fights, and arguing also come with that. But that's part of it, it happens. No relationship is peak perfect. It's life and how it works. The crying, pain, and distance is part of the healing process taken after said things happen. And you hope that it will go back, back to the way it was. There's a river with everything, and you must flow with it. When you find yourself resisting, you find the current resisting, too, fighting you. And you want to float and flow with said river. You take all this and add it up, that's what I see love as. And that's what I feel towards you. That's what can be described as love, and what one person to another can feel connected by a single string. They can never let go or cut that string when they form it. Those who do are broken beyond repair, and they never fully heal. Tears in the string can be repaired. That's okay. It's part of it all. Just know that, I, Dean Searle Winchester, feel this for you."

The darker haired man listened to Dean's words carefully, and each word that was spoken from his mouth, Cas felt emotion build up in his chest. He realized that he had never asked Dean that question before, even back in the penitentiary. He probably should have asked it then instead of going into their relationship with faith and a blind eye. Memories flickered in his mind's eye when they first met. Cas remembered that he felt a type of gravity pulling him close to Dean, but he was guarded at first because he knew nothing about the man. Love is a tricky word to describe, and it means different things for different people. But if Castiel knew one thing for sure, it was that he loved Dean Winchester. He was in love with him. Taking in everything Dean said, he realized how stupid he was for thinking that their relationship could be smooth sailing, that wasn't realistic. If nothing like this happened, then there could be absolutely nothing to build on and solidify their bond with. Cas felt tears pouring out his blue eyes, and he held his head downwards, looking at his lap as the tears came cascading down his cheeks, softly sobbing.

He saw that the other man was crying. But he wasn't finished yet. "It's all part of a healing process; when things go wrong. You think you cannot fix it. You fear you cannot go back to where you started. To where the first gravitational pull of two souls connected, and you felt that. But that is only part of it. The big picture. Some souls break and shatter like glass more than others. And others seem to more bend, but not break. It takes a lot to break the bending souls. That's part of the feeling we put a word over that we call love. When you find the person, the one soul that speaks to you most. The one that continues to speak to you even through hardships. When you find your soulmate, and you know they are yours, you tell them. You tell them. It's not easy for some, but that's okay too. It's all part of the process. And I believe you can see that clearly now."

Castiel waited for Dean to finish with what he was saying before rubbing his cheeks off, even though his eyes were still watery. He managed to speak relatively clearly to Dean. "You're right...Heh, I was a fool thinking that nothing could cause negative emotions to flare up within each other...I realize now I should have asked you how you feel about me back when we first met, but your answer probably would have been different. Not as matured and fleshed out...I want you to know that I'm still in love with you, Dean. I honestly don't know if that will ever go away. Yes, I was incredibly hurt by what happened, but I was eliminating the possibility out of my mind completely before that. I think that's why I was so...explosive. And then I ran off because I didn't want to hurt you more or your family. I was ashamed, but at the same time, I felt justified. It was confusing." He took the back of his hand and rubbed his nose off. "I feel that no matter what, I'll always come back to you. Even if you push me away, I'll still be here for you. I understand now there will be challenges, but I do believe we can come out of them together."

"It's the exact same right here," Dean spoke, lifting his hand to his heart, placing his hand over it. The steady heartbeat told him many things at that moment. Mostly that he was still alive. "You saved me, Castiel Novak. I want you to know that. I want you to know that I love you with every cell in my body, every tendril of my soul. Every beat of my heart, every leaf in the wind. You saved my life, just by being who you were at the place and time we first met. And now, I may share hugs or laughs with Luke, but know that we now have rerouted to being close like brothers. You will always be the one I hold close to my soul, Castiel. Don't you dare ever forget that."

Cas nodded in understanding. He felt more reassured about everything now. The thoughts he previously had going through his mind were slowly diminishing. It was okay with him if Luke and Dean had more of a brotherly bond, he would have to push his negative thoughts aside and live in the moment knowing that Dean was purely genuine with the words he was saying right now. In the future, it would probably work out better if he got to know Luke better so he wouldn't make quick judgments on the man. But for right now, Castiel was focused on Dean, and he liked it that way. Sitting up a bit and scooting closer to Dean, Cas wrapped his arms around him and held him close. "I apologize for having some moments of weakness but thank you for pouring your heart out with your description. I never should have doubted you or us to the point where I fled off into the woods...In a way, you saved me as well back when we first met."

Dean wrapped his arms around Castiel in return, holding him close as possible. "It's alright. We all have our moments of weakness. We always will. There will never be a human with a perfect square, it's not possible. It's okay that you ran away. I understand that. Your instincts told you to run so you did. That's okay."

Castiel nodded his head in the crook of Dean's neck at his words. He mumbled against him. "I'd rather you not leave me behind without telling me why in person. When you left a letter, it made me feel as if you didn't trust me enough. I understand it's easier for you to do that, though. But, if there is a next time, let's come up with a plan. Does that work for you?"

"Yeah, that would work with me. That would work just fine. Now, I think the plan now should be to get some more sleep." Dean spoke, reaching up haphazardly to stroke Castiel's hair. He looked to the window, and saw that it had started to snow. But it wasn't a calm snow. It seemed to be a blizzard, but hopefully not. Wind lashed at the cabin, but inside Dean's head, it was composed.

Cas pulled away from Dean a little so he could lay down and he looked out the window. "I'm happy I got back before that. I didn't have gear to survive in the woods with a mild blizzard...I'll have to shower tomorrow too and take care of my leg again." He reflects as he pulls the covers over him, leaving a spot for Dean next to him.

Dean lay down beside him, nodding slightly. He closed his eyes and murmured a goodnight, and then fell asleep, too weak and tired to really do much more. The blizzard continued through the night, but when morning came, it softened a little. A couple of hours later, Dean opened his eyes. The lack of sunlight coming through the window had disturbed him. Careful not to wake Castiel, he got out of the bed and approached the door with carefully placed, quiet steps.

Cas was still asleep for the time being as he was a little tired from a lack of proper sleep from being out in the woods. He didn't really dream of anything during the night as his mind was worn out and needed a proper recharge. His breaths were even and steady, signaling that he was in a comfortable stage of rest at this point.


	14. Chapter 14

Seeing that he hadn't woken his partner up, Dean opened the door and slipped out of the room. He saw everyone else was awake, and he walked towards them. "What's going on?" He asked, seeing they were distressed.

"Neither of the vehicles will start. One's got no gas, the other's engine is dead and gone. Besides, we're snowed in. There's no way we'll get out with vehicles." Luke reported.

Dean met his gaze for a few moments. "So we need a plan to get to my house." Dean assumed.

They nodded.

"Well, I'll work something out. It'll be today that I do." He spoke, turning and walking away to the room. He opened the door and kneeled in front of the bed, Castiel lay upon. "Hey." Dean set a hand on his shoulder. "Wake up."

The former officer stirred awake and opened his eyes to meet Dean kneeling in front of him. He rubbed his eyes and saw Dean's expression. "What's wrong? You seem worried. Did something happen overnight?" Cas sat up and stretched out his back muscles before sliding off the bed and onto his feet, standing in front of Dean.

"The vehicles are unable to start, and we're snowed in any way. They're relying on me to come up with a plan. I have a map of this place and the towns beyond it, all the way to our house. I say we walk there. It's our only chance." Dean spoke, looking at Castiel. He did have a map, and there were enough supplies to last a few weeks of walking to the town. They could make it if they all tried.

The plan that was in place was a little risky considering the weather, but if everyone gave it their all, things could relatively smoothly. Hopefully. "Alright, I'll shower when we get back home. Let me pack up our stuff for us. You should probably come with any details with the rest of the group. If things get dire, I can always start a fire for extra warmth or to melt ice patches."

He nodded his approval. "Pack everything we've got. It's going to take us at least two weeks to get there. Everyone will have to hold weight. I'll let them know what's in place." Dean felt a pinprick of pain, and started to lift his sleeve, but stopped. He pretended he was straightening it. "Right." He spoke, coughing awkwardly and mentally cursing himself. Castiel was sure to question him now, if not later.

"Dean. What's wrong with your arm? I've never actually seen you straighten your sleeves. The only time was when we dressed up formally for our dinner date and I saw you do it. Did you do something to it when I was out in the woods? Something that you should probably let me be aware of?" Even though it was extremely possible for Cas to use his power of suggestion on Dean, he would never do that to him. On other people, yes, but Dean didn't deserve to have his mind being fuzzy. Plus, that could break trust between them.

For a few seconds, Dean contemplated showing him what he'd done to himself. But after recent events, he wouldn't forgive himself if he lied to Castiel again. Sighing, he pulled up both of his sleeves, revealing cuts up his arms. They were an inch and a half, some reaching two, in length. It was easy to see they'd been done by a knife. Dry blood caked over a few of the cuts. Dean wore a solemn expression upon his face.

Cas' gaze softened as he pursed his lips, seeing the damage Dean had done to himself. He turned around and went over to the sink with a washcloth, soak it in warm water. Coming back over, he held his left arm straight and began washing the dry blood gently, making sure to get everything clean. Then he did the same to Dean's right arm. Not moving from his spot, he tossed the rag into the hamper and then gave the man a warm hug. "If you get the urge to do something like that again, I'd rather you let me know so we can figure something out that doesn't involve you hurting yourself. Does that sound okay?"

Dean was genuinely surprised by Castiel's reaction but accepted it nonetheless. He returned the hug he was given. "Those weren't very recent. They were done a few days after you fled the place. But I wouldn't get the urge to do it again unless something terrible happened." He reassured, pulling away gently after a few moments. "On a happier note, I'll help you pack the backpacks, and let's get the hell out of here. I bet I've got a basketball game waiting for me back home."

He offered a small smile. "And I've got front row tickets still," Cas stated before walking over and grabbing his sniper to put it in the case that fit snugly into his bag along with the ammo. Heading over to the laundry room down the hall a bit, he grabbed his clean clothes and changed in the bathroom real quick before packing his old ones in the bag as well. A little bit of Dean's laundry was in there, so he grabbed it and placed it on the bed for him.

The next hour was spent preparing for the trip ahead. Everyone packed their own backpack to wear and had at least a knife on them for defense. Everyone had changed into clean clothes, and now they all stood at the door, waiting. They all wore a heavy winter coat, hat, and gloves. Dean was the one who would lead this 'expedition' since he carried the map. He looked everyone over and led them outside. The men began to walk down the driveway, silence ensuing them. The only sounds were their weight in the snow.

As they stepped outside, Cas breathed in a big breath of chilly air. It felt relaxing to him. The crunching of everyone's footsteps seemed to echo around the area as the environment was completely silent for now. It was almost peaceful, but he knew the trek would be challenging for everyone to a certain extent. Each individual had their own limits, after all.

The men walked for what seemed like an eternity but was only hours. Seven hours later, everyone needed an actual break, contrary to the smaller ones they'd had throughout. "Dean," Luke called out. "We need a break. I'm struggling to even walk."

Dean slowed, causing everyone to slow. He took pity on them all and sighed. Seeing a clearing in the forest to the right of the road they'd been traveling, he turned and motioned for them to follow. The men sat down, and Dean sat too, looking up at the sky.

He looked up to Luke, standing in front of him. "Hey." Dean greeted him. Luke offered a smile and handed him a water bottle, which Dean gratefully took. The taller man then patted him on the shoulder with care and walked away. Dean stared after him with a small smile. Everyone seemed at peace.

As everyone sat down, Cas sighed contentedly and reached into his bag for a water and Gatorade to keep up his electrolytes. This trek definitely wasn't the hardest thing he's done, but it was worse in the cold. At least everyone was appropriately dressed and kept moving long enough to keep their blood pumping to stay warm. He had put his pistol and the knife in a side pocket in his coat for more easy access if the time would call for it, but there should be no need to. Putting the drinks back in his bag, he looked around the group. "Is anyone feeling too cold yet? I can go forge some kindling over there by the trees and get some warmth going for everyone. I'll put that offer on the table for the rest of our journey."

Most of the trekkers looked up at Castiel's question. "We're okay." was most of their replies, indicating that there was no need for warmth. At least not yet. Dean drank some water and ate an energy bar, but nothing more was consumed by him than that. Standing, he walked away a few feet away from the group. Taking a lighter and a cigarette out of his pocket, he struggled to light up, as the breeze was blowing softly.

The former officer sat for a few moments before he smelled the scent of lighter fuel. It was coming from Dean's direction. Not wanting to draw too much attention, he got up casually and walked over, putting an arm around his shoulders so the others couldn't tell what they were saying. "I've never seen you smoke before. Not especially good for athletes like yourself, you know." He lightly joked. Cas slipped his glove off before making a flame ignite on his finger for Dean on his cigarette. "Is this recent as well, or am I not observant enough?"

He touched the end of the cigarette to the fire until it was lit and brought it back. Raising an eyebrow, Dean placed the cigarette filter between his lips and took a drag off it, making it away from his mouth so he could speak. "Recent. Besides, it's gonna be a while before I get back home. I'm already a bit weak enough anyway, so this wouldn't make much difference." Another drag. "I don't do it often. If I do, it's just to alleviate stress or just to do it."

"Fair enough, considering the situation we are in right now. But just know if it does become more than a stress reliever, I will only encourage you to stop or at least lower the amount you're taking into your body. Only because I care about you, sometimes I have to be annoying." He smiled before placing a peck on his cheek before walking away and back to sit against the tree where he was before to give Dean a little privacy.

Nodding, Dean was silent after that. He finished his cigarette and walked back over to the group, taking out the map and looking it over. "How much longer till we get there?" Luke's irritated voice reached his ears.

"We're going to get there when we get there," Dean replied firmly.

A growl sounded from behind him. Dean turned and looked at the taller man.

Everyone was watching, not intervening.

"What is with you? You've been nothing but disrespectful towards me since we began this trek." Dean stated, studying Luke.

The other man narrowed his eyes. "You know." He spoke.

Dean's eyes widened, and his jaw went slack. "Wh-that's what this is about? Your jealousy of my relationship with Castiel? Are you fucking kidding me?" Dean asked.

Their gazes met levelly. "What do you see in him?" Luke spat.

Suddenly, time was in slow motion. Dean raised a fist and swung it towards his face, connecting with his jaw.

Luke fell with a pained scream.

Balanced, Dean glared down at him for a few seconds. "You do that shit again, I'll cast you right out of this." A smile swept across Dean's face. "Remember this, all of you. Don't fuck with me. You'll regret it." He stated. He turned and walked away to the edge of the clearing, where he leaned against a tree.

The others began to try and care for Luke.

As Castiel witnessed the interaction between Luke and Dean, he clenched his jaw at Luke, basically insulting him when he was standing right there. He wasn't going to intervene, it wasn't his place. He would act as if nothing happened. Cas was genuinely surprised at the jealousy Luke showed, though. It was practically seeping out of the man. And here he thought about trying to be open enough to get to know him better. That wasn't going to happen now. He watched the band members care for Luke and continued to follow Dean once everyone looked fine.

Dean examined his knuckles to make sure there was no damage done to himself. A few strands of his sandy hair blew in front of his face, but he brushed them away. He could still feel the anger seeping under his skin. He didn't notice Castiel walking up towards him, for the blood rushing in his ears was all he could hear for the moment. Dean muttered sentences under his breath, saying how Luke deserved what he got. He went quiet after about three sentences, though, and associated himself with the environment around him.

Cas noticed Dean was taking time to calm down from the adrenaline rush, so he let him be at a safe distance. Instead, he looked up at the sky and saw tiny snowflakes falling onto his dark eyelashes. If they weren't walking back home, he would've enjoyed staying out here and enjoying the silent winter. But things needed to be done, there was no time for sightseeing. He sighed quietly, allowing his breath to flow in front of his face.

After a few moments, Dean noticed Castiel standing a ways away, and walked over to him. He slipped his arm around the man's shoulders and led him gently to the tree. "Sorry about that back there. He just...well, he insulted you, and I kind of got defensive." Dean looked down at his shoes, suddenly embarrassed. "I just...yeah. You get the point, I guess." He finished, sighing heavily.

The blue-eyed man smiled softly and wrapped an arm around Dean's torso. "No, I absolutely get it. It wasn't my fight to get involved with, but I felt my defensive walls flare up as well. He was insulting you also, you know? Doubting your judgment, really. I would have stepped in between you two if he had swung. Not that you cant handle yourself. " He admitted to his partner.

"I didn't care if he was insulting me. I just cared that he was insulting you." Dean confessed, looking up to meet Castiel's gaze. He wrapped his arms around his waist, feeling the warmth of his body heat even through the clothing Cas was wearing. Dean cupped his face, something he hadn't done in a week and a little over a half. It had been too long. "And I just now realize how much I missed you." He spoke softly, with the slightest smile.

A grin appeared on Castiel's face as Dean held it in his hands. This was a feeling he had missed. A beautiful, comforting feeling. "I've missed you terribly. It felt like there was a hole in my chest, but I am just happy that you're here with me now." He allowed some blush to form on his cheeks that showed on his fair complexion out in the snow.

"It's nice to see a smile on your face again. Sadly, I don't have a good photographic memory." Dean lightly jokes. A few heartbeats of silence passed. He looked at the snowflakes slowly falling, collecting on Castiel's head and shoulders, and even on his eyelashes. Dean touched his forehead to the other male's, looking into his stunning ice-blue eyes.

Cas smiles when Dean rests his forehead on his own. "I don't think I've mentioned before how much I enjoy looking into your green eyes. Reminds me of of sunlight creeping through the trees of a forest." He loosely wraps his arms around Dean's shoulders enjoying this peaceful moment between the two of them.

A smile took its place on Dean's face. "Well, your eyes remind me of an ocean. Or the night sky when it's turning to daylight. Or even my team colors on our basketball uniforms and court." Dean explained. Being as he was, of course, he was going to say something about basketball. He'd missed their moments like this when they were closer.

A small laugh escaped from Cas' lips. "I knew you were going to mention basketball one way or another. You still have to show me how to throw a few shots sometimes. I don't think I'd be horrible." He had thrown hoops in the last just to pass some time, but it's been a while since he's played basketball of any level.

"I suppose I'll do that when we get back home, and we all get our strength. You wouldn't be as good as I am probably, but you'd be decent if I can help it." Dean replied, joking lightly. He brushed his thumb against Castiel's cheekbones gently. For some reason, the soft, warm skin underneath his hands calmed him more than he asked for. "I love you, Cas."

"I love you too, Dean. More than I can find words to express it." His blue eyes trailed down to Dean's lips and then back up at his eyes before he leaned forward a bit to place a gentle kiss on the former prisoners lips. He pulled away a little and smiled sheepishly. "Sorry I couldn't help it."

Before Dean could react and kiss back, his partner had pulled away and apologized. The corners of Dean's lips twitched slightly at this. "Don't apologize. You can do that whenever you want." He spoke, sliding a finger under Castiel's chin. Taking a quick breath of air, Dean leaned in and kissed him passionately.

The former officer was happy that Dean had kissed him back. He only really apologized because, after their little misunderstanding, he wasn't sure if it was the right time to kiss Dean again. But the man didn't seem to mind, and that made Cas feel a lot better about putting pressure on himself. He smiled into the kiss and relaxed his head in Dean's hands as he returned their kiss with equal passion, closing his eyes.

A kind of reassurance washed over him in a wave, making him relax. Dean closed his eyes and they kissed for a few more moments. When the need for fresh oxygen became great, he pulled away gently, opening his eyes. Dean breathed in, out.

Suddenly, he detected a flash of silver to his right, heading towards Castiel. Without thinking, he stepped out, placing himself between Castiel and the blade. He felt a stabbing pain in his side and collapsed.

Luke stood a couple of feet in front of him.

Forgetting the pain, rage overtook Dean. He tore the knife from himself and ran towards Luke, tackling him and bringing the knife down on him, being stopped by Luke's hand enclosing on his wrist. Dean fought against it, and raised his fists then, discarding the knife. He littered blow after blow upon his face, until someone pulled him back. "No! Let me get him!" Dean roared.

Castiel had realized that the knife was supposed to be for him, but Dean took the blow. His eyes quickly glanced at Dean's wound, it was okay for now, he could always cauterize it if needed. But he really wanted to get a few things off his chest. Striding over towards Luke, he took him by the collar of his coat and held him up, Lukes feet slightly dangling off the ground. Cas' voice lowered to a more severe and cold tone. "Listen. If you really thought you could stab me, you clearly don't have the guts to try it when I'm in front of you. You are a coward, and you ended up hitting Dean because of it. Jealousy is a bitch. I won't forgive you for what you just did. Ever." He sneered as his gaze intensified. "Normally, I'd throw a punch and knock you out, but you aren't even worth that effort to me. I was going to try and be kind to you, but you don't need my kindness. If you do anything to hurt Dean or me again, I will hunt you down and make you regret it." He stated before dropping him to the ground and walking back over to Dean.

Sam and Tom held Dean by his shoulders, even as he fought against them. After a moment, he was let go, only to stand up and walk towards Luke.

"Here, we go again," Sam muttered.

Dean dragged the taller man up by his collar and pressed him against a tree. "If you try something again, I swear to god I will shoot you in the leg. I won't hesitate, bitch. You walk in here thinking you can stir up shit, you are wrong. Don't you dare try to hurt Castiel again, or I will kill you in two seconds flat. I don't fucking care. You might think you're high and mighty, Luke, but you're not. Life is a bitch. Deal with it, asshole." Dean snarled, his voice tight.

He let Luke down, where he cowered on the ground. "Fine. Why don't we just fight it out, Winchester? If you think you're so awesome, you can cast me out if I lose. If I win, well, you know exactly what I want." Luke spoke with a smile.

Dean smiled back. "Your challenge is accepted. Stand the fuck up then."

Everyone stood at the edge of the clearing.

Dean and Luke stood opposite each other. Dean's gaze flicked to Castiel. It read, 'I need to do this.'

Castiels instinct was to step in and stop the two from doing something stupid, but once he saw Dean's gaze, he stopped and nodded, before stepping back with the rest of the group to watch the fight unfold. He had faith that Dean would win this one. He believed in him and would tend to any severe injuries that may happen. Cas kept his hands folded together to prevent himself from moving.

He believed that he could do this. He knew what to do. Running forward, Dean saw Luke tense and knew that his plan for this specific move would work. Pushing off the ground and using his momentum, Dean sailed over Luke, doing a backflip so he could land facing behind Luke. Landing on his feet, Luke was confused as to where he'd gone. Dean moved up behind him and purposely stepped on a twig.

Luke turned, and Dean used his arms and his remaining strength to kick his legs out from under his body, making it easier for Dean to put Luke on his back. Pinning him, he forgot to use his weight enough, and Luke pushed him off. Luke ran forward and threw a punch at Dean's face, hitting his nose. Dean heard and felt his own nose break, but he wasn't worried about that. He dodged the rest of the punches Luke threw, one by one.

Seeing the little brawl ensue, Cas couldn't help but have an amused expression as Dean had the upper hand. He was thoroughly impressed by his footwork. But that expression faded when Luke had landed a punch right into Dean's nose. Even from where he was standing, he could hear cartilage break. He would have to readjust his nose later, so it healed properly. His eyes narrowed, watching every movement as Dean dodged Luke's punches.

Another hit landed on Dean, but on his shoulder. His nose had begun to bleed. Suddenly, a foot fell right over his knife wound, and Dean stumbled, losing his footing. Anger ensued him. He tackled Luke to the ground and pinned him there. Luke didn't get up. Dean stood. A gun pressed against Luke's temple. Dean's Springfield 1911 trembled in his hand. Why couldn't he just pull the trigger? He wasn't heartless, that's why. His finger hovered over the trigger.

Luke closed his eyes, awaiting his death.

Blue eyes widened as Dean put his pistol up to Luke's temple once he managed to pin him down. Castiel thought back to when they were at the prison together. He remembered telling Dean that he wasn't heartless and devoid of emotion like all the others in here when Dean was beating himself up for his father's murder. Even though he had committed a crime, Cas though he still didn't deserve to be behind bars because he had regret and guilt and shame.

Everyone seemed to be holding their breath as Dean decided whether he'd shoot or not. After a couple more moments, Dean let his hand fall to his side. The knife cuts on his arms began to bleed. Luke looked up at Dean; tears had created clean lines on his cheeks. "Go," Dean whispered. Luke stood but didn't move. "Go!" Dean yelled, trying not to cry. He shoved Luke away towards a trail. The taller man turned and ran, and Dean stared after him. He looked down at his gun, and up at the rest of the group.

Castiel decided to approach Dean slowly just in case he was still on edge from the whole fight. He gently took Dean's pistol and turned the safety back on, placing it back into the man's coat pocket where it originally was. This reminded him when Dean shot his uncle dead, and Cas had to be slow and gentle with his movements at the time.

He looked at the ground, lifting a hand to pinch the bridge of his nose. He was looking down so no one could see him quietly crying to himself. Everyone resumed what they'd been doing before the fight, quietly talking. A hollow guilt settled inside the pit of his stomach, and Dean closed his eyes. He hadn't the heart to kill Luke, but he had it in him to send him away on his own.

Looking over at the rest of the group since they had begun resuming small talk, Cas looked back again at Dean, seeing how badly he was trying to hide his emotions from the group. He never wanted Dean to feel like he had to disappear from everyone. A gentle hand placed on his shoulder and spoke quietly. "I know that was a terrible choice you had to make, but if I may be honest, I believe he showed his true colors just now. I would have never expected that out of Luke. You may feel guilty, but it was probably the best decision for the group."

Looking up, Dean led Castiel to behind a large boulder and kneeled down, pulling his partner down with him. "I don't know really what I'm feeling. Anger, sadness, guilt, relief...fuck it, I don't know. I just..." he trailed off, leaning forward and letting himself practically fall into Castiel's lap. He turned his head and rested it in the crook of his neck. His shoulders shook with each quiet sob he let out. One arm was held close to his own chest, and Dean's other hand's fingers enclosed around Castiel's shirt on his chest.

Strong arms reached around Dean to hold him close as Cas adjusted their position by moving his arms around him. He stayed silent as he allowed Dean to cry into his neck. The man's mind was probably a swirl of emotions considering the event that took place. He gently rested his head on top of Dean's as he released his feelings.

Emotions were the controls of the controller, as some said. Many at once was very complicated to sort out. One could only imagine Dean's complicated situation. He doubted himself, and his actions along with that. He continued to cry, some sobs more violent than others. After a little while, they closed down to pathetic whimpers with a few tears. Dean refused to move; Castiel's presence and warmth was reassuring to him. More so than he really asked for.

Once Dean's sobs had quieted down a bit, Castiel tightened his grip on him a little before giving him a soft kiss on the top of his head. "We can stay here as long as you need to since I can keep us warm. I also need to readjust your nose before we get back on the hike...Is there anything you need to say out loud or just be quiet and sit here together?"

"I'm just going to be quiet." Dean murmured, staying where he was in his position. He did just that, taking refuge in Castiel. A small snowstorm was blowing in, and Dean unfolded his wings and formed a tent-like structure with them. He adjusted his position so that he rested one side of his head against Castiel's shoulder. His forest green gaze looked up to his partner's.

Seeing that Dean had used his wings to make a makeshift tent, Cas smiled at the sight. He admired Dean's feathers blocking out the snow before he looked back down at him. He held up his free hand that wasn't wrapped around Dean as tightly and lit a little flame on his pointer finger, small enough to not be dangerous, but big enough to keep them toasty from the frigid weather.

He lifted a hand and gently touched Castiel's cheek, looking up at him. Expression unreadable, Dean's gaze flicked about, landing on the lines of blood staining his sleeve. He looked at the for a few seconds and realized the cuts were no longer bleeding. His eyes went back to Castiel. "Would you be able to cauterize my knife wound with your power now?" He asked as a faint throbbing that gradually grew sharper began in the place he'd been stabbed.

Cas was leaning against Dean's hand on his cheek and spoke. "Of course. It won't be painless, but feel free to grip my arm or anything like you did before." He gave a reassuring smile to tell Dean that it was okay since the man had felt bad before about leaving a bruise on him. Lifting Dean's shirt a little, he adjusted the flame on his pointer finger before slowly beginning to cauterize Dean's wound. Thankfully, it didn't need a whole lot of work done, but Cas managed to get rid of the bleeding and allow new flesh to be able to form over so it could heal properly.

All Dean did was close his eyes and clench his teeth against the pain. When it was over, he was glad for it to be so. A few hours later, the small snowstorm had passed, and Dean decided it was time to move on, but soon. "We should get going soon. We have six hours before dark. Maybe we can cover some good ground. But we can stay here together for a couple more minutes if you want to." He suggested quietly.

"I'd love to for a few more minutes before we head out. Can you let me adjust your nose back? You know I don't care that your nose is crooked, but you'll be better off breathing wise and fewer blood clots. It's going to hurt more than me fixing up your knife wound." He spoke to Dean. Looking at his nose, it seemed relatively simple. A little to the right and upwards should do the trick.

Nodding, Dean adjusted his position, so he was sitting up a little more. He had forgotten about all the cuts and bruises he had on him, mostly because the pain had practically vanished. "Yeah, go ahead. I wouldn't want to not be able to breathe out of my nose. And you know I don't really care about pain." Dean reasoned, looking at Castiel and then to the side.

"We are one and the same when it comes to pain." He chuckles softly before placing his hands on Dean's face firmly to get leverage. Castiel paused for five seconds before shifting Dean's cartilage around with his thumbs to the right and then upwards. The process involved a lot of crackling and crunching that was loud enough for both of them to hear. "There. How's that feel? Air movement wise?"

The pain he felt was brief, and he was calm as ever while the process was done. His nose felt a bit better after it was over, and he breathed in and out for a little while to test the airflow. "It's good enough. I can breathe, and that's all I care at the moment. Thank you." Dean replied. His green gaze flicked to his partner. Habitable, he cupped his cheeks and brushed his thumbs along the cheekbones softly.

He was happy that Dean's nose was better than it was. Castiel always seemed to relax when Dean cupped his face with his hands. He reaches up and gently rubbed Dean's jawline with the back of knuckles. He chuckled softly. "You know, every time you hold my face like this, I feel like I could purr like Luna does. It's a very comforting gesture."

A smile protested, showing itself on Dean's face. The feeling of uneven pressure on his jawline somehow soothed him. "I did not know that," Dean replied, raising an eyebrow slightly. To him, Castiel's words were compelling. "I suppose that I should do it more often, then." He added. Leaning forward, Dean kissed the corner of his mouth lightly and pulled back with a small smile.

Cas smiled softly and mirrored the small kissing gesture Dean had just done. "I'll be glad to be back home. I definitely need a shower. I haven't showered in almost two weeks, and I think it's starting to show." He chuckled while continuing to rub Dean's jawline.

"I think we're all going to be happy when we've eaten a proper meal, have warmth, take a shower, and drink a lot of water when we get home," Dean replied, brushing his fingers through Castiel's hair. It was greasy and unkempt, but he couldn't say anything because he knew he was the same. They were all dirty and greasy.

The former officer leaned forward onto Dean's forehead as Dean played with his messy hair. "Where will the band members stay? I don't think there's quite enough space for everyone at our place. Unless there are a couple more air mattresses, I'm unaware of."

"I'll give them some money, and they can hit a hotel," Dean replied. He checked his watch. "We need to get moving if we are to cover more ground before dark. I don't want to be here any more than probably anyone else does at this point." He spoke, folding his wings and making them disappear. A few more miles, and it would be dark.

Castiel nodded and offered Dean a hand up for support. "Agreed. No need to be out here longer than we have to. We only have a limited amount of supplies." He stated as they started walking back towards the band members to meet up with them.

Once they had met up with everyone else, Dean discussed the game plan, and the group continued on. That was how the rest of that week went-walking and resting. One week later, there were only a couple more miles to go. Currently, they walked on the side of a road, Dean leading as always. He'd gotten his exercise in from walking for many days. A low, drawn-out roar sounded in the forest to their right. Everyone halted. For Dean, that roar was dreadfully familiar.

The former officer froze on the spot, hearing that roar. That noise was chilling and would make even the most fearless man stop in their tracks. His blue eyes lowered to his feet and then slowly looking to the right, trying to peak through the trees to get a glimpse of whatever it was. Cas had a good gut feeling but wasn't trying to jump to conclusions just yet.

Silence ensued the roar, and then Dean saw him. Walking among the trees, Jotunn stopped a few feet to the right of the group. He scanned them over with his white gaze, and Dean's blood ran cold. His hand went to his 1911. Suddenly, four gunshots rang out, and Jotunn retreated back into the forest, leaving behind a trail of red blood. Dean looked to their savior. His eyes widened in surprise.

"I think you made a mistake casting me out. I could've left you to die right then." It was from Luke.

Castiels' jaw clenched when he saw Luke come out from the shadows of the trees. He thought they wouldn't have to deal with them anymore because Dean had won their little bet. He must have had a motive for coming back. Plus, he could've been following them at a safe distance, how else would he have known their location. Cas looked at the man and asked in a stern voice. "What are you doing here?"

Luke met Castiel's gaze with an equally measured and calm one. "I came back." He spoke as if that provided answers to their problems. "Mind you, I just saved your lives." He added.

The corners of Dean's mouth twitched. He took a few steps forward. "You expect to come back in here even though you knew you could get hurt? You don't fear your potential death by coming back to us?" Dean asked.

Luke smiled.

Dean nodded, stepping forward until the two of them were probably a few inches apart. He put his lips near Luke's ear and whispered, "I like your courage, Lukers. I'll give you a second chance. You try anything I won't hesitate to shoot you in the leg." Dean spoke.

As Cas watched their exchange, he decided he needed to keep his eyes on Luke like a hawk. He didn't trust this man at all now after what he did to both Dean and himself. A thought crossed his mind that the man would try and manipulate Dean into doing something that he didn't want to, but he immediately brushed it off, realizing Dean was stronger than that. He averted his gaze and decided to twirl the knife in his hands to get energy out of his system and refocus his mind.

A chuckle was earned from the taller man opposite Dean. "Yessir," Luke replied.

Nodding once more, Dean took a few steps away from him and turned to the others.

They raised their eyebrows expectantly.

"He's coming with us," Dean announced.

There was silence. Sam started laughing. "I'm sorry, what?" He asked, getting serious.

"You heard me. Now don't question it. Let's go." Dean commanded, and they got going once more. Since Luke only had one energy bar left, Dean tossed him one, and he caught it and gave thanks. Dean and the group continued on.

Shaking off his internal thoughts of wishing this man would dare try something again, Castiel decided he would ask Dean about his motive for making the decision that he did once they got home. There had to be some reasoning since it was Dean of all people. He also wondered how his first basketball game would go when they got back. Hopefully, good since that could be a substantial lift for the spirits considering everything that has happened on their trip. His mind also wondered if Jotunn would show up at their house again. Why had he changed his behavior?

A couple of hours later, Dean was ready to collapse and just die. He was sure the others felt the same way. But then Luke tapped his shoulder. "Hey, look." He spoke quietly. Dean looked up and had to breathe a sigh of relief as he slowed down and stopped. A dirt road led somewhere partially in the woods. And the way they traveled on was paved, not gravelly. It led to the town. Which meant the dirt road was his driveway. They continued on, and thirty minutes later, the men stood before Dean and Castiel's house. That was until Dean took a step forward and collapsed, but Luke caught him.

The former officer's legs were burning, but he saw Luke caught Dean, and his own protective instincts kicked in. He walked up and wrapped one of Dean's arms around his own shoulders. "Thanks. I got it from here." He stated in a monotone before opening the door for everyone and carried Dean inside, positioning him on the couch after taking his gear off of him. Cas took his bag off and plopped himself next to his partner as the rest of them filed inside.

Luke stared after Castiel, but nodded and followed with the rest of them.

Dean checked his phone and drank some water from a water bottle. "Shit." He spoke as he saw the next basketball game was in an hour and thirty. He jumped off the couch and opened a drawer at the coffee table, taking out a stack of tickets. He handed one to each person. "I'll drive us there, but I'm going to take a quick shower. Then you all are going to, and we are going to go to the stadium." Dean spoke, running off to his bedroom and the bathroom. The others approved of this plan.

Seeing the tickets being handed out, that could only mean one thing. Dean's basketball game was close to starting. Cas knew he didn't look the greatest. Hell, no one did, and there wasn't enough time for everyone to freshen up. He went upstairs and used a small mirror to try and comb his hair. Putting on a fresh change of clothes to look like they didn't just come out of the woods. That was as good as it was going to get right now.

After his quick shower, Dean threw on his uniform and had everyone clean up as best as they could. Then, he got everyone into his car, miraculously, and drove off, heading towards the stadium. Even with four weeks of total weakness, Dean's muscles were defined and reliable as ever. He was ready for the game. This time, there were to be no losing matters. He'd make well sure of that.

As they pulled up to the stadium, Castiel was still impressed at how everyone fit in Dean's car. Squished together, but everyone still fit. The darker haired man gave Dean a quick peck on the cheek before showing everyone where their seats were going to be at once the game started. Dean must've had a stash of tickets already that were most likely planned in advance in case his family and friends showed up on a game day.

Dean went to the locker rooms like always while everyone else went to their seats. About fifteen minutes later, the first quarter was nearly starting. Dean and his team walked out, and Dean was gesturing to the crowd and himself. A cheer rose up, and Dean stopped it after a few moments. The other team came to the court after a couple minutes. The first quarter began, and everything fell into place.

This was the fourth game Cas had attended to with his partner. His last game didn't go so well because of the minor argument they had after Dean had dislocated his wing joint. His head was out of the game then, but now, he looked more vibrant on the court. Anything could happen in the game, but Castiel was happy that Dean was enjoying himself right now.

Weaving around the defenders that tried to block his every move, Dean was almost part of the court. He was pushed near the out-of-bounds line, and he executed a shot before he stumbled and fell. The ball went in, and the whistle was blown so Dean could get up. A hand entered his field of vision, and he looked up to see a member of the other team offering help for him. Dean smiled and took his hand, and the man pulled him up. The crowd oohed and awed, as this kind of sportsmanship was rarely shown between opposing teams.

"And that was a good exchange of kindness between number forty-three, rookie Dean Winchester and opposing team's number fifty, Aaron Sutton. Amazing, a rarely seen moment." The announcer spoke.

That was a rare moment, indeed. Cas clapped a little when that happened. At least, no one shoved each other down or caused fouls on purpose to be idiots. It seemed like an excellent, clean game. Even when watching basketball on tv, he had never seen that happen before. Dean deserved some respect and kindness on the court, after all.

"And the opposing team takes a timeout." The announcer spoke again. "Thank you, Mister Sutton." Dean thanked him respectfully. "It's no problem. And please, call me Aaron." Aaron replied, giving Dean a kind smile before walking off to his team's bench. The rest of the game from there went by in a whiz. Dean's team won, one hundred and three to ninety-eight. After it was over, Dean retreated to the locker rooms.

That was a rare moment, indeed. Cas clapped a little when that happened. At least, no one shoved each other down or caused fouls on purpose to be idiots. Even when watching basketball on tv, he had never seen that happen before. Dean deserved some respect and kindness on the court, after all.

"And the opposing team takes a timeout." The announcer spoke again. "Thank you, Mister Sutton." Dean thanked him respectfully. "It's no problem. And please, call me Aaron." Aaron replied, giving Dean a kind smile before walking off to his team's bench. The rest of the game from there went by in a whiz. Dean's team won, one hundred and three to ninety-eight. After it was over, Dean retreated to the locker rooms.


	15. Chapter 15

In the last couple of days, Dean had noticed the change in Castiel's behavior. For hours at a time, he'd just seemingly be with himself, in away. Dean had been okay with it, but it was a recurring thing, and he'd finally had enough. He wasn't going to sit on his ass and do nothing about it. This had to be taken care of. It was seven in the morning on a weekend day. Dean's excuse for being awake currently with some coffee was to watch a basketball game. When Castiel went down the stairwell and got to the end of it, Dean turned the television off and looked at him. "What's going on with you? You've been off lately and not spending time with me." He asked. There was a tone in his voice that implied he wasn't giving up till he had an answer from the darker haired man.

Cas sighed and attempted to get past Dean, who was blocking the way down the stairwell. "Look, I just need to be by myself right now. Need some alone time." He simply stated while still trying to get past the former prisoner. His thoughts were swirling around in his head and prickling like little needles up against his brain.

A cold-to-hot feeling ran through Dean; he was sure it was anger, but he kept it down. He reached out an arm and caught Castiel, making it so he couldn't go down the staircase Dean was blocking. "No. You've had enough alone time. Enough of whatever the hell this is." Dean began. The vein on his forehead was showing. "Tell me what is going on, and we can work this out. Together." He spoke the word 'together' with emphasis.

There was a moment of silence between them before Castiel spoke with a monotone voice. "Not right now, please. I can't right now. Maybe eventually, if I feel like it, but right now, I need to be by myself." He tried to get out of Dean's grip on his arm. He didn't want to hurt the man, but he needed to get away from him at the moment. He needed to get away from everything.

A battle raged in Dean's mind before he finally gave in. He let go of Castiel's arm and silently walked away, going up the stairs leading to their room. Drew and Luna followed him. He went into their room and closed the door behind him, taking the pets with him. Dean sat on the bed, staring at the wall. Luna crawled into his lap, and he stroked her fur, and that's when he noticed tears were falling down his face. He didn't try to stop it.

When Dean finally let him go, Castiel went off outside in the snow and loaded up his sniper. He made sure to put the silencer on it so it wouldn't be too loud when firing off. Setting up a target a long way away, he walked back and began firing off some bullets to get his mind focused on something else rather than the problem he was facing by himself.

Anywhere between seven to nine hours later, Dean was still in the same place in the room. He was looking at the latest basketball news and saw a whole article had been put up about him. A small smile crept across his face as he began to read the article. He was apparently known as a legend, which was okay with him. They could call him what they wanted on that court. It was a way of life for him. Yesterday's game had been a traveling one, and they'd won the game, like always.

After the whole day had gone away, it was getting dark out, and Castiel came back inside to get some extra warmth from being out in the snow. He went into the kitchen and started making hot chocolate for himself. Taking off his coat, he hung it on the hook and slipped off his boots by the front door. He carefully set the sniper rifle down as it was something that Nathaniel had given him before one of his dispatches overseas. He stared at it for a little bit and then shook his head, trying to get his mind on something else other than his best friend. Sitting down on the couch, he closed his eyes and sipped his hot cocoa in silence.

Needing some water, Dean set down his phone on the nightstand and opened the door leading downstairs. He went downstairs, and his eyes flicked to the rifle resting on the dining table nearby. Having not noticed Castiel, he approached it, looking at it for a few seconds before recalling something Castiel had told him about a friend of his giving it to him. Then he suddenly knew. It was his friend, something had to have happened to him. Dean padded away from the weapon and went to the kitchen, getting a glass of water. He looked out the window and drank it, thinking. He then turned and began to walk back towards the stairwell. Noticing Castiel, he pretended he wasn't there due to circumstances.

The former officer stayed silent even though he feels Dean's presence in the room when he was in the kitchen area. He decided to not say anything to him also though he probably should have. It was just easier to stay quiet and hardly talk. Grabbing a blanket off the couch, he laid himself down, resting the empty mug on the table and curled up into a ball trying to get comfortable. Cas chose to sleep on the couch for tonight, he didn't want to see Dean right now in case he would say anything to him again.

He paused and, using his telekinesis, got a knife to him in his free hand. What he was planning to do was drastic enough. Several hours later, the morning began to creep over the house. The knife Dean had brought with him lay on the table, half-dried blood staining its blade. Dean lay sleeping in the bed, several cuts on his arms, and this time on his legs as well. He didn't want to, but he'd pulled the covers over himself to hide it. He'd have to wash the sheets to deter Castiel from finding out. Getting up, Dean cleaned the knife in the bathroom, hid it in a drawer, and put the layers in the washer, starting that. He washed himself up in the shower and bandaged his cuts, putting on a long-sleeved shirt and a pair of pants. Thankfully, it was winter, so Castiel couldn't question the long-sleeved shirt. But Dean had forgotten that there were a few droplets of blood on the wall. He sat back on the bed and drank his water, looking at his phone once again. It was just another typical day.

The former officer opened his eyes and raised up, rubbing them to try and wake up. He didn't want to, but he needed to. Thankfully, he didn't need to go back to work until Monday, and today was now Friday. Yawning, he got up off the couch and grabbed a glass of water to cleanse his parched throat. His blue eyes landed on his rifle, and he picked it up with care before going back upstairs. Cas was in his own head and hadn't noticed anything Dean had done. He carefully put his gun back in the case and headed into the bathroom to take a hot shower after grabbing some clean clothes.

His gaze flicked up for a mere second to look at Castiel, and then back down. Getting his headphones from nearby, he proceeded to listen to an Architect's album on low volume while reading a book he liked. He kept one earphone out so he could still hear outside noise. For now, it was calm and silent. His mind drifted to the better days of his and Castiel's relationship, though, and he found he was silently crying to himself. Leaning back his head on the wall, he closed his eyes and let the tears flow.

While he was in the shower, Cas started thinking about when he first met Nathaniel. They were young, around the same age of ten, and soon became fast friends. When Nathaniel was fourteen, he decided to enlist in the military to get away from his home life. He was sent to a type of boarding school and training camp combined. He and Cas always met up after the day, and soon Castiel wanted to enlist as well. However, life took a different direction, and that's when Cas took it upon himself to enter the police academy instead. The two best friends would always still hang out after school and teach each other new skills. Even when Nathaniel was overseas, they wrote letters to each other, keeping each other updated. Cas choked back tears and refused to let himself cry over everything. He had to be strong for Dean, he felt he needed to be. He turned the water off and got dressed in the bathroom before walking out and sitting back down on the floor in their bedroom, counting his bullets.

Noticing Castiel had come out of the bathroom, he wiped away the tears, and fake coughed to hide a sob. He set down the book but didn't say a word. He grabbed his water glass and walked to the door, putting his hand on the handle. His gaze flicked to Castiel on the floor, but he closed his eyes and looked away, going down the stairs and closing the door behind him. Dean got himself some water and went outside to the porch, taking out a cigarette and his lighter. He lit it up and took a drag, feeling himself become a little more numb to his inside feelings. The pain from his cuts and the nicotine from the cigarette blended to create a defense wall against his inner feelings of hurt, anger, and sadness.

Once Cas had finished counting his bullets, he put them back away into a container and placed it back into their closet. He sighed and held his head in his hands, still sitting on the floor. He knew there would be a ceremony for Nathaniel that he would have to be in since his best friend mentioned his name in the letter he had received from the military. He didn't know what to do. There was just too much going on in his head right, and it was absolutely overwhelming to think of everything that was going to happen on Sunday afternoon.

After Dean was finished with being outside, he went back inside. It was time to get an answer. He needed to figure out what was wrong with Castiel. His notion was probably false. Sighing, Dean set the water glass on a counter and went upstairs, opening the door and closing it behind him. He let Luna and Drew out to the central part of the house so he could talk to Cas alone. Dean leaned against the nearby wall, looking to the bloodstain but deciding it wasn't much. Castiel would notice eventually, but not now. "What's going on?" Dean finally asked, looking at him.

Cas sighed when he noticed Dean came into their room and closed the door behind him so that they were alone. "Dean. I've got a lot on my mind. I don't think I can talk right now about it." He slowly got up and sat on the bed, taking his socks off of his feet and rolling his sleeves up to his elbows.

"Cas, I want to understand. Please, even just four words. And then I'll leave you alone. I just want to understand what is it that's making you act like this. Is it so hard to just tell me one sentence so I can understand?" Dean pleaded, his eyes shining with worry.

All of the feelings that Castiel had been pushing down were starting to come to the surface because of his partner's persistence. He finally raised his voice. "Nathaniel is dead, Dean! My best friend! Dead! He was blown to smithereens by a land mine! I told him not to go back! But he didn't listen and promised me that everything was going to be okay! And now I have to go to the ceremony on Sunday and carry a casket while wearing a uniform he picked out for me! It was like he knew he was going to die out there!" Cas stood up and huffed, gripping his sides tight.

At last, he collapsed onto the bed and just started sobbing. "Damn it...I told him not to...I really did..."

All of this took a few moments to process in Dean's mind. And he finally got it. He knew finally how Castiel felt, and it punched him in the head. Dean was an idiot. "Okay." He said quietly. "I'll leave you alone," Dean spoke, grabbing his car keys and going out of the room, closing the door behind him. He paused for a second before going down the stairs and out of the house. He got into his car and sat there for a few minutes before starting it up and driving off. He'd taken his phone with him in case Castiel called, which wasn't likely at this point in time. Maybe Dean thought, he shouldn't have asked.

In between sobs, Castiel heard Dean exit through the front door. He knew why Dean had left, to give him some space, but he didn't have the words to tell him how much he just wanted him to stay. Crawling under the covers of their bed, he laid there for now and just sobbed his heart out, missing his best friend as memories flashed behind his eyes when they were younger.

A couple hours later, it was three in the afternoon. Dean knew he should return to the house and do something productive. Thirty minutes later, he was parked in the driveway of the house and got out. Letting himself in, he looked to the stairs. Something told him Castiel wasn't sleeping. He went up and hesitated before knocking softly just in case his instincts were wrong.

As he heard the soft knocking on the door, Castiel rolled himself out of bed and walked up to the door opening it. He probably looked terrible, considering he had been crying and not really sleeping well these past couple of nights. "I didn't think you'd return..." he mumbled to Dean, who stood in front of him.

Seeing just how bad Castiel looked broke his heart. Ignoring just how bad this would physically hurt Dean due to his cuts, he stepped forward and hugged Cas tightly. The former prisoner was just heartbroken that his partner was like this. Dean gently led Castiel to the bed while closing the door behind himself. He sat down with him while still hugging him tightly.

Cas buried himself into Dean's chest and sighed softly, smelling his soothing scent. His mind had settled some more now that his partner had come back. "I'm sorry for acting like I didn't care...I was just overwhelmed, and I didn't want to dump it onto you..."

"It's okay, Cas. It's okay. I understand why you snapped at me like that. I understand what loss feels like." Dean soothed, rubbing his back comfortingly. "Do you want to know what I learned growing up?" He asked, but didn't wait for an answer. "I learned that it's okay to cry. But I learned that the person who died-take your friend, for example. He'd want you to celebrate his life. He'd not want you to be sad over his death. He'd want you to celebrate his life and the good things he did. So do that. But remember, it's still okay to cry. Also, remember he'd want you to smile."

A small, sort of forced chuckle let out of Castiel's lips. "He was a dumbass sometimes...but he taught me everything I know about survival and first aid. My sniper rifle? He gave that to me when he went overseas for the first time, said it was a present to remind me that he would return. I would have loved for you to have met him, you would've thought he was cool...I already knew what he would say to you. He would have said, 'You picked good Dean, but Cas can be a fiery bullet when it comes to protecting the ones he loves.' That was a stupid nickname he called me since he knew about my fire powers..."

Dean nodded. "There you go." He reassured. Taking Castiel's hand in his, he pulled back to look at him. "This is what he'd want you to do. Remember the happy times you two had together. He'd want you to live on. I would want you to live on as well if I had died. The way I see it, life and death are the same. Most people don't understand that aspect. But I do."

"Yeah...I would want you to if I died. I would want you to be happy with whatever you're doing as long as you don't forget about me. I know you wouldn't, though...Do you think you could come with me on Sunday? For moral support, I mean, they'd let you in if I told them you were with me since it will be a lot of officials...I might need help adjusting the uniform once I put it on here before we leave." He knew Dean wouldn't know anyone, and neither would he, except for a few of them, but he didn't want to be alone during the ceremony.

The thought paced inside his head that he had never met Nathaniel. But it was still worth paying respects to the man. Dean nodded. "Yeah, of course, I'll go. I understand you wouldn't want to be alone." He stated. His stomach lurched as he knew that they would do the twenty-one gun signal. He'd heard it was a salute to fallen soldiers. A shiver passed through his body.

As Castiel was laying up against Dean's body, he felt the man shiver a little. "Are you okay? I don't want to force you if it bothers you." His blue eyes traced from Dean's eyes to the wall behind him as he spotted the small bloodstain. "Dean...Did you...hurt yourself again? There's blood on the wall."

His breath hitched in his throat. He'd noticed. "N-no. Of c-course, I didn't...I didn't really have a reason to..." he lied, wincing as he stuttered. The other realization was that Castiel had been a police officer and could tell when someone was lying. No...he had to calm down. It wasn't like he was going to kill him if he did find out he'd hurt himself for a second time.

He allowed his gaze to soften because he didn't want Dean to be mad at him. He lifted them both up into a sitting position and gently rolled up Dean's sleeves, seeing the cuts. "Dean. Did you do this because I was distant? I'm sorry...I...never want you to think I'm not there for you...I always am, I was just putting pressure on myself..." Cas pulled Dean to his chest, not wanting to let go. "Thank god you didn't hit anything important...I could've been outside, and you could've been...dying up here...by yourself."

"Suicide wasn't the intention. Although if I had cut any deeper on the ones closest to my main wrist vein, I could have bled out. It's good that I know how deep I can cut without accidentally killing myself in the process. I say that's good cause I don't think I'll ever learn not to do this shit." Dean said, his voice lowered. He let out a slightly harsh laugh. He thought his life damage indifferent.

The darker haired man pulled Dean from him away a little and looked into his green eyes. "Dean. I'm going, to be honest. I want to help you stop this little habit of yours when things get out of hand for you. I don't like you talking about how good you are with a blade if it's against your own skin. I understand why you did it, but I can't run the risk of losing you because one day you'll get a little careless. And that's all it takes. Just one day. One time. Then you're gone, and I lose you."

His eyes glinted with defiance. "Well, it seems you might just have to deal with it." Dean retorted. "It's not going to just stop, Castiel. It's not. It's just going to be a recurring thing. And I'm experienced with it, I know how deep I can go without killing myself. I've got enough self-control that I won't get careless like some others. It's not that bad, don't you see? Not that bad at all."

Cas' eyes narrowed a little at Dean's answer. He expected the man to be reluctant but not so defiant about his decision to cope with emotion. He wanted to give anything to wash away the inner pain he must have been experiencing while doing that action. He quietly asked. "How would you feel if I burned myself on purpose? I know you'd feel something because you care about me, don't act like you would be okay with it. Your arms may not look bad to you because you're the one who did it, but as your partner, I'm going to say that it looks terrible. I don't care if you have scars...Your self-destructive behavior was all my fault. I made you feel this way. You didn't start doing this until we took our trip together..."

"I'd...I'd try to stop you...I..." he trailed off, tears blurred his vision. He suddenly knew just how Castiel felt about this. The fear dragged him down, but he resurfaced. "Fuck!" He cursed, burying his face in his hands, his shoulders beginning to shake from sobs that he was trying to cover but couldn't. Dean dug his hands into his hair, cursing himself over and over under his breath.

Taking his hands, Castiel gently lifted Dean's hands off his hands as he remembered when he pulled out some hair before. Holding their hands together, he intertwined their fingers, and the former officer looked down and watched Dean trying to control himself. He had never done this before in front of anyone, but Castiel's mouth opened and began softly singing near the man's ears. It was a gentle, balanced out melody with lyrics that symbolized brighter days during dark times.

As the sound of singing filled his ears, Dean nearly forgot to breathe, but his crying slowly subsided as he listened to the song. He leaned his head forward to rest upon Castiel's shoulder, his arms sliding out of the man's grip to wrap around his neck. Dean nestled his head into the crook of Castiel's neck, his crying subsided to small whimpers. His breathing evened out, and he just wanted to listen to the beautiful voice of his partner. It was comforting to not get away from.

The blue-eyed man could at least carry a tune. Or maybe he was too humble thinking his voice wasn't all that spectacular. His lips curved upwards slightly as he continued softly singing as Dean rested his head as he slowly calmed down. He reached an arm around Dean's back and gently rubbed it until he finished up his little song.

When Castiel was finished with the song, Dean was just about asleep. His mother had used to sing him a song to get him to go to sleep or when he was crying, and Castiel's singing had brought him back to those better days. His breathing was even again, and he no longer made any sound whatsoever except for his breath, of course. Dean pressed himself more against his partner, just wanting his comfort and warmth now.

A warm smile appeared on Castiel's face as he felt Dean drifting off into sleep. A nice nap sounded helpful to him as well. Carefully laying them back down, he held Dean close to him, providing warmth and comfort. Cas kept his arm snugly around him as a makeshift blanket after trying to pull the covers up on them a bit. Quietly sighing, his blue eyes closed, and he also drifted off to dreamland.

Through the night, Dean had a few bad dreams and pleasant dreams. By the time morning called, he was no longer dreaming. Sunlight shone through the window but was quickly blocked out by the snowstorm clouds moving in. Dean sighed softly in his sleep. A nightmare had settled in on him, and he couldn't force it out. It wasn't too great, either.

A dream was floating on the edge of Cas' mind. He and Dean were outside in the sun's rays, feeling the warmth on their exposed skin. The sky turned darker and into storm clouds causing Nathaniel to appear in front of them. The soldier fired a gun at the sky, whipping away the clouds and smiled upon the other two men who stared in awe. Then his image disappeared from Castiel's mind.

Opening his eyes in the dream, Dean saw that he was standing out on what looked to be a battlefield. But as he walked forward, he found that he wasn't controlling himself. He was in the body of someone else, per se. But why? And who? He didn't know, but he-or whoever's body he possessed-walked forward more. Someone called a name, "Nathaniel!" and a voice that was not Dean's one replied, "What?". Dean suddenly realized that he was in Nathaniel's body, and for some reason was about to 'die.' An explosion so loud sounded that Dean's ears hurt bad. Pain shot up all of his, or Nathaniel's body, and blackness ensued. In the outside world, Dean woke up with a gasp.

Due to Dean waking up in a startled manner, Cas jolted awake from his dream and looked at the other man. He rubbed his eyes a little before asking. "Nightmare? Do you want to share?" He was always concerned when Dean had nightmares because, recently, they ended up being visions of some sort.

Dean had speeding pictures that continued the dream, such as him waking up in some kind of dark box, escaping and running off, passing out. What the hell was this? "Well, I was walking along in some kind of battlefield. I wasn't myself, I could feel it. Someone called a name, but it wasn't mine. The voice I replied with wasn't mine either. Then there was this sudden explosion, and I felt a lot of pain, and then it went black. I opened my eyes again, and I was stuck in some kind of dark box, and I escaped it and ran, and the place I ended up passed out near was similar to the clearing I fought Jotunn in." Dean explained. "I think it's a vision."

When Dean was describing his dream, he had just now Castiel's eyes widened at the fact that the explosion part reminded him of Nathaniel. He had blown up and died, but it seems Dean's dream added more onto it. There was no way Nathaniel knew about Jotunn. "When you describe the explosion, it sounds like how Nathaniel died, but I'm not sure how the rest of your vision and Jotunn tie into it..."

"Jotunn doesn't tie into any of this," Dean replied. He was sure of that. "What did Nathaniel look like when you last saw him?" He asked, his eyes flicking to Castiel. If there was even the slightest chance Nathaniel was alive, he'd have to find him and bring him here. He didn't know why, but he just knew he'd have to. He'd take a trip to the clearing and search the place if he had to. Everything was going to be alright, for once. At least Dean hoped so, for Castiel's sake.

He could picture his best friend, ideally in his mind, as if he saw him yesterday. "Nathaniel has light brown hair, and it was in a buzz cut for the military. Light freckles across his face. Blue eyes that are darker than mine, almost gray. And his canine teeth were always a little pointy when he smiled. It was goofier looking when we were younger."

Nodding, Dean jumped off the bed and fixed his hair as best as he could, putting on a pair of boots and a winter coat. He looked at Castiel. "Aren't you coming? We're taking a short trip." Dean announced, getting his gun from the dresser. Opening a cabinet, he took out the knife he'd used on himself. He set it where his gun had just been; he'd deal with that later if he had time. Dean also grabbed his machete in the process.

"Oh, yeah, I'm tagging along, of course. I've dubbed myself as your partner in crime, after all." He lightly joked. Grabbing his pistol, he decided that he should leave his rifle here at home. Pulling out a drawer on their dresser was an extra clip for his pistol, and he placed in the pocket of his jeans. Running downstairs past Dean, he decided to just mess with his hair by running his fingers through it. Castiel slipped on his coat and boots he had left by the front door. "I'm ready when you are."

He watched Castiel grab his weapon, an extra clip, and run past him. "Hey!" Dean exclaimed with slight irritation as Castiel ran his fingers quickly through his hair. Reluctantly, Dean followed him down the stairs, and he waited at the back door. The winds from the snowstorm battered against the house exterior, but Dean wasn't worried about it. That was normal here. When Castiel said he was ready, Dean opened the door and ran out, heading into the forest.

The former officer saw Dean bolt outside towards the woods, and he picked up speed after him. It wasn't too long before he was running up beside him. "Didn't want to fix my hair if we are out in the woods, haha." He chuckles. "I've been concerned about Jotunns behavior lately."

A smile graced his lips. "Well, it was going to get messed up anyway. We are running." Dean spoke pointedly. "Jotunn..." he sighed before continuing. "He is a mystery. Like me." The former prisoner chuckled. "Only time will tell why he's been acting so weird. I haven't heard from him the last couple of days, and neither have you, or I think I would know about it by now. I suppose we can only wait to see what's up with him."

He nodded and paused for a moment while they were still jogging. "I still don't like how he kidnapped your cousin. And your cousin knew about the ritual, which was odd. I know he's some type of godly figure, but he can't just take random people when he wants unless he has a good reason."

"I suppose we're going to have to find out why all that happened eventually. I don't think now is the time to talk about it." Dean replied, glancing at Castiel for a moment before looking back ahead. Suddenly, someone barreled into him from his left side, getting him away from Castiel. The attacker pinned Dean to the ground, and he looked up at them. The man had light brown hair that was a bit greasy, and his blue eyes were nearly gray. Dean almost missed the freckles on his face. At the time, Dean didn't know it was actually Nathaniel, but he held up his hands in surrender and closed his eyes, afraid that he'd die in spite of himself.

Cas' jaw about dropped to the ground once his eyes focused on the man. "Nathaniel? No wait...you're dead. There was an official letter issued, they don't lie..."

Nathaniel's head turned up to see Castiel, then back at Dean, who was surrendering. He quickly hopped off of the man and walked up to Cas. "They lie when I forge a document. Just like I did with your supposed death." He said happily before wrapping his arms around his best friend.

Happy to be able to stay breathing, Dean got to his feet and brushed himself off. At the sight of the reunion between Castiel and Nathaniel, he couldn't help but smile softly. Noticing his gun on the ground, he picked it up and took the bullet from the chamber, catching it in his hand. He put it in his pocket with a sigh only he could hear, doing the same with the gun. Dean turned back to look at the two friends, and then he spaced out and looked at the path leading back to home.

Needless to say, Castiel was still in shock that Nathaniel wasn't dead and wasn't an illusion. He was real and alive and breathing. "I'm... just so confused right now. I didn't expect to ever see you again."

Nathaniel patted Cas on the shoulder before breaking the hug away. "Not a lot of people do, Cassie. You know I usually do my job and then move on to the next." His gray eyes flicked to Dean. "This must be your boyfriend, right? Dean Winchester? Well, I'd say nice to meet you, but I just tackled you to the ground instead." He lightly chuckled.

Snapped out of his trance, Dean looked back at Nathaniel and Castiel. His eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Wh...how did you know my name?" He asked. The former prisoner didn't recall Castiel saying his name or telling Nathaniel something about him. Unless there was something obvious that he'd missed happening.

The soldier smiled and stretched his arms out. "No need to be so alarmed there. I know how to dig up info, Cas hadn't told me anything about you, he just said he was seeing someone, but gave no personal information. When your first basketball game premiered on television, I was in the outpost camp with a mini screen and saw you obviously, but I also saw Cas on the sidelines in the front row. That's how I figured it out." He explained casually

How could he have missed that? Basketball, of course! Dean was famous for his full-court shot. A friendly smile forced its way to surface on his face. "I can't believe I didn't see that coming. But I am an idiot by heart." Dean joked lightly, taking a few steps forward, but reserving a respectable distance between him and the two of them. "It's nice to meet you, Mister Nathaniel. I've heard some stories."

"Oh, really? Hopefully, nothing embarrassing. I could tell you some really good stories about Castiel if you wanted."

"Shut up, Nathan. Don't make me start telling him your stories as well." Cas lightly teased by using his nickname.

The soldier shook his head. "Wouldnt let yah. I'd wrap a piece of tape around your mouth...Anyway, I was out in the woods because I figured you guys either lived in the town over or around here somewhere. What were you guys doing out here?"

"I'd love to hear your stories about Cas sometime. I'm sure they're good." Dean replied, adding a glance to Castiel. He'd hate him for that, he was sure. "I had a notion this morning that someone would be out here, so I got Cas, and we came here. That's when we found you...more like you found us." Dean explained. It was technically the truth. He chuckled at his little joke.

"Oh, ho, trust me, I will. Well, I couldn't tell from the angle we were both at who you were, Dean. I recognized Cas, though. I thought he needed some extra help, and I decided to make my presence known...I know he can handle himself, though. Taught him everything he knows, haven't I?" Nathaniel's gaze flicked back over to Castiel.

He raised a brow in return. "You're making it sound like I was completely incompetent before we met. Which is not true. I taught you things too."

"Yeah yeah, you did. A few things. Now that you've found me, are you staying out here longer? Or heading back to your home?" He asked both of them.

A few moments of silence passed. "I like the snow," Dean said out of nowhere. Then he coughed awkwardly and looked back at the trail leading back to his and Castiel's home. "Right. We should probably start heading back. Wouldn't want to freeze to death out here, would we?" He spoke, turning and beginning to lead the way back. He was silent now just in case Castiel and Nathaniel wanted to catch up some more.

The other men followed Dean back down the trail that led to the house. Nathaniel was still in his military camouflage uniform with a dark green winter coat. He only had one backpack on, but that was normal for him. He had always been a compact traveler. Once the trio reached the house, the soldier spoke up. "Nice place you guys got here."

The chill in the air had reached Dean's skin even though he wore a coat. When they saw the house and Nathaniel spoke up, Dean nodded slightly. "Thanks." He replied, walking up the back doorsteps. Sighing under his breath, Dean turned the handle and opened the door, turning to stand behind it so the other two could come in. Once they were inside, he closed the door and locked it. He didn't like to have it unlocked for apparent reasons.

Once they were all inside and the door was shut, Nathaniel looked around the downstairs from where he was standing. "Reminds of when I'd go back home from being overseas in nothing but a tent. It's always a good feeling to have four stable walls around you." His gray eyes spotted Drew and Luna. "Oh! Look! They're cute, what are their names?" He asked as he sat down on the floor to greet them properly.

"Their names are Drew and Luna," Dean replied from the kitchen. Looking about the fridge and getting down glasses, he was feeling something he shouldn't, but he couldn't precisely place it. He ignored it. "What do you guys want to drink, if anything?" Dean asked, tapping his fingers on the counter. He watched as Drew and Luna immediately took a liking to Nathaniel. That's when he finally placed it. Jealousy.

Nathaniel looked up as Luna was starting to climb on his arm with her tiny claws. "I'll have any type of soda if you have any. I've been craving some lately."

Cas smiled at Dean. "Water, please, thank you." He took a seat on the couch while the soldier was still on the floor, with the animals playing with them like a child.

Turning to the fridge, Dean kneeled and found some orange soda and looked at it for a few seconds. He shrugged and turned back to the counter, pouring it into a glass. He then got some water for him and Castiel. When that was done, he grabbed the others' glasses first and handed them to the two men. "Here you are," Dean spoke as they received them. He then proceeded to drink his own water in the kitchen.

"Thanks." They both said in unison to Dean, handing them the glasses.

Castiel patted the seat next to him. "You don't have to stand there, you can come to sit me next to me if you want."

Nathaniel chuckled as Drew and Luna both were climbing over him. "This is such a good feeling. We don't have animals back at the base. We just have dogs out in the field sometimes."

He shook his head. "I'm fine with being right where I am." Dean voiced, fixing Castiel with a stare. A forced smile came to on his face, and then he stopped it, looking away. His gaze sharpened as he looked at the soldier with the pets, and then he sighed. "I'll be outside if anyone needs me," Dean muttered, grabbing his pack of cigarettes and the lighter from the countertop and going outside. He stood at the railing of the porch and lit up, taking a drag. He felt all his feelings become numb.

The dark-haired man furrowed his brows at Dean's behavior. He seemed agitated, not to mention he took his pack of cigarettes outside with him. That was something he did when he was stressed. Not wanting to crowd his partner, he decided to wait until he came back inside to confront him about it. Castiel picked up Luna off of Nathaniel's head and started to pet her small frame with gentle fingers.

Fifteen minutes later, Dean sighed and put out his fourth cigarette. It wasn't right how badly he was smoking lately. But as always, he didn't care as long as it alleviated his feelings like the knife to his skin. Turning, he went back inside and put the pack on the counter along with his lighter. He closed the door behind him and got some more water from the faucet, drinking it. His pupils were slitted, something that happened to people who smoked three to five cigarettes in a single time window.

Castiel got up from the couch and put Luna down on the floor. He walked up to Dean and whispered. "Dean. How much did you just smoke? Your pupils are badly looking. I'm very concerned about you." He didn't want Dean to start smoking way more than he needed to. He didn't understand why he was getting stressed out right now. He didn't think Nathaniel did anything wrong.

He was in his own little world, thinking about life in general. Until he heard his partner's voice cut off his train of thought. Blinking, Dean looked to Castiel for a moment, then looked back at the counter. "I only smoked four. Relax, it's not that bad. I'm fine." He dismissed it as if it were just a pestering fly. He drank some more water before getting another glassful.

"That's more than you usually do. I told you I would pester you if I felt like this would become a problem because I love you. Now. Please tell me what's stressing you out? Is Nathaniel here making you feel this way?" He simply asked. It was the only logical explanation he could think of right now since he personally thought they'd recovered from their misunderstanding earlier from a breakdown of communication.

There was a long pause before Dean finally spoke. "I'm a little jealous cause you two are close, okay?" He snapped quietly. "But it's nothing. Don't worry about it." He added, looking down at his feet. The former prisoner sipped at his water in silence. Finishing it, he walked away from Castiel. He muttered something about going to the bathroom before grabbing a beer from the fridge and jogging upstairs, closing the door behind him. He didn't go to the bathroom, but sat on the bed and twisted the cap off his beer bottle, sipping at it.

Nathaniel looks up at Castiel. "Is he okay? He seems on edge."

"He will be fine. Just has something on his mind that's all. I'll check on him in about an hour or so." Cas replies before picking up Luna again. "I really would like you two to get to know each other better. I think you guys would hit it off since you have similar viewpoints on some things." He felt like he needed to tell Dean that Nathaniel was purely his best friend. There was never anything romantic between them, and Nathaniel was bisexual, leaning more towards women but had dated a guy before a long time ago.

Dean had kept a small stock of beers and bottles of water in a small fridge in their bedroom. By the time an hour and a half had passed, Dean was on his fifth or sixth beer, he didn't really know. Setting the half-full glass bottle on the nightstand, he read an article on his phone while a football game played on low volume on the television. Dean turned off his phone and looked at the TV again.

Castiel excused himself before walking up to their bedroom and knocking on the door softly, slowly opening it. "Dean? I'm checking on you...How many beers have you had? You're going to have a bad hangover tomorrow. I'll have to fix you a special drink for that." He asked while stepping inside and closing the door.

"I've only had five and a half." He replied. His words were slurred. "I'm fine, believe me. Thank goodness I have the day off tomorrow. Oh wait, tomorrow's Sunday, right? I think I forgot the days of the week." Dean ranted, then looked to the television, where his team was getting a flag. It was a wrong call. "What the hell? No, that guy was in the end zone! You know what, they need to replace that ref. I'm just...no..."

A sigh came from Castiel's mouth as he picked up the beer bottles from around Dean. "Tomorrow is Sunday, yes. I think it would be best for you to try and at least take a nap right now, okay?" He lifted him up and placed him where he usually slept on the bed. "I'm having Nathaniel sleep on our couch downstairs, and I'll be up here with you to make sure you're good. Because you look pretty bad right now after your five and a half beers."

"Cas...I'm fine." He protested, sitting up, refusing to nap. He wasn't tired at all. "I'm not going to sleep. I'm not tired. Besides, there's a game on. I can't miss that. I need to find out who wins. And it's not nighttime, why would I sleep?" Dean complained, trying to find every excuse possible, so he didn't have to sleep. "I'm fine. Seriously, I'm fine."

He knew that Dean would try and make excuses about caring for himself. He crawled over and sat on the bed beside him. "Okay. I know the game is important to you. And of course, it's not night, but I also know you don't want an awful hangover tomorrow morning, I was only suggesting a nap because that could help you. Let's finish the game up first. Nathaniel is too busy playing with our pets right now, he would do that all day if allowed to."

Immediately, Dean wrapped his arms around Castiel and pulled him closer, turning his eyes to the television. The former prisoner rested against him until he eventually got tired near the end of the football game. Closing his eyes, his muscles became loose, and his breathing evened out. He finally fell asleep there. It seemed that all he'd needed was Castiel next to him, and he was sleeping.

The former officer smiled softly and wrapped an arm around Dean's body up against him. He knew his partner would come around eventually from being tired, mainly due to the booze. Humming softly, he rested his head on Dean and muted the tv so that the screen was still on to pass some time while Dean slept.

A few hours later, Dean stirred. He merely placed himself in Castiel's lap, and he slept like that for about another hour. Finally, around three in the afternoon, he woke up. He muttered some incoherent words and opened his eyes halfway. "Cas?" Dean murmured, leaning into him.

Blue eyes looked down at Dean once he heard him say his name. "Good afternoon, Dean. Did you sleep well?" He asked while absentmindedly playing with his dirty blond hair. Cas had always done that when the former prisoner slept.

"Yeah, I slept, alright. I think I'm sober now." He joked lightly. After a moment, he spoke again. "Do you know how much I just like sitting here in your lap while you hold me and play with my hair? I find it quite comforting." Dean confessed, a small smile gracing his face. He slinked an arm around Castiel's neck, giving him a peck on the cheek.

A small amount of blush flared up on Castiel's cheeks from Dean's kiss and comment. "Do you know how much I enjoy having you sit in my lap while I pick at your hair? Your hair is very soft, by the way." He trailed a light hand across Dean's right cheekbone. "I told you a nap would help out."

A light dusting of red appeared on Dean's cheeks and the bridge of his nose from Castiel's comment and his touch. He rested his forehead on his partner's. "You know I love you, right? More than you could probably understand." Dean spoke, cupping his face with warm hands. He stared into those captivated ocean blue eyes.

He smiled warmly and relaxed into Dean's hands as he usually did when his face was held by them. "And I love you. I always have, and I know I always will. That won't ever change. Even if we have disagreements every now and then, I won't ever abandon you." He gave a soft kiss on Dean's nose.

Smiling, Dean returned the kiss on the nose he was given. "I know. There will be disagreements, and that happens. It's part of a relationship. And I won't ever abandon you, either." He replied. The former prisoner closed his eyes and let himself fall into the silence that ensued. He intertwined their fingers.


	16. Chapter 16

A couple of months later, it was a Sunday evening. Dean had just taken Castiel to dinner at the fancy restaurant they'd gone to at their first date. Now, he was driving them to that hill he'd taken him that same day. Nothing too suspicious, or so he hoped. His stomach was in butterflies, and he felt like he was going to pass out, from excitement or nervousness he didn't know. 'Nothing Else Matters' by Metallica played on low volume on the radio of Dean's peak condition '67 Impala. As well as the event going on today, there was a game going on tomorrow between Dean's team and Aaron's.

Aaron and Dean had become good friends over the last couple of months. But this game was very important-it was the finale, the end of the season, the championship game. Whoever won it took home the trophy.

Castiel was in a better mood than he usually was tonight. Dean had taken them out to dinner and right now also back at the hill where they picked their stars out for each other. It was a good day. Plus, Dean's championship game was tonight as well. His partner's new friend, Aaron, was a good guy, and he and Dean had become fast friends. Cas knew no matter whose team won, they would be happy for one another. The former officer really wanted their home team to win, of course. He had planned on making Dean a fresh apple pie after the game as a reward for all his hard work with the season.

When they got to the hill, Dean waited until the sun had disappeared under the horizon and the stars made their appearance, and the city lights came on. With a smile, he turned to face Castiel.

"How to say this...okay. Castiel, we've been together for a couple months now. It's been a rocky road, but we've gotten through it together. You made me the person I stand before today. And we escaped near death. We've proved to each other that we are loyal to each other through and through. We've been through Hell and back. So...I suppose I should ask..." Dean spoke, getting down on one knee, his eyes shining as he looked up at Castiel. He drew from a coat pocket a dark velvet box, and he opened it. Inside, resting in a seam, was a diamond ring, and on one side was a sapphire, on the other an emerald. Next to the sapphire was a ruby, and next to the emerald was a sapphire. "Castiel Novak, will you marry me?"

Cas listened carefully to Dean's words and smiled at each sentence. They were significant and sweet. He didn't realize right away what was happening until Dean got down on one knee and proposed to him. He was in shock for a bit and then patted his cheeks a little, noticing he wasn't saying anything st first. "Sorry! Yes! Yes! Of course, I'll marry you, Dean. I can say with confidence that you are the love of my life. Haha, I always thought I would be the one to ask the question, but you beat me to it." He chuckled and smiled brightly, looking Dean in the eyes and carefully stuck out his left hand for him to have the ring placed on.

Any traces of nervousness or worry immediately left him as the answer came to be a yes. Happy tears sprang to his eyes as he gently took Castiel's hand and put the ring on his ring finger. Thankfully, it fit. Still holding his hand, Dean stood to his feet and pulled Castiel into a tight hug, swaying a little with it.

The biggest, warmest smile appeared on the former officers' face as he embraced Dean into his arms, nuzzling into his neck, humming contentedly. His heart soared as he felt a few tears start to form in his eyes. "The ring is wonderful. Did you customize it yourself? I'll have to figure out what yours would be. Unless you want matching ones."

"Yeah, I customized it myself. I got the sapphire and emerald for our eye colors, the ruby and the other sapphire for our elemental powers, and the diamond to symbolize the bond we share. I'd be interested to see what you come up with for me." Dean explained. He pulled back a little to look into Castiel's eyes again, smiling so much his jaw ached. But he didn't care. "The other question is, who's going to take whose last name?" He asked, tilting his head slightly. Tears were streaking down his cheeks, but he didn't bother with wiping them away.

The blue-eyed man allowed some tears to fall once he saw Dean's eyes were watery. He paused for a moment. "Castiel Novak Winchester sounds the best to me. I feel it has a nice ring to it. Actually, I think it sounds perfect." Castiel rested his hands on Dean's shoulders. He had already thought about a ring for Dean. It was going to be a black ring with a silver band wrapped around it with a diamond in the center. On the silver part of the band would be emerald and sapphire gemstones. He hadn't thought about their elements, more so their eye colors.

His fiancée's words caused his smile to get a little wider. Dean reached forward and cupped Castiel's face. "One more thing before we have to head to the stadium," Dean spoke. He had put on his uniform under his main clothes, and Castiel already had a ticket. Leaning forward, he pressed a passionate kiss to the other man's lips, putting in everything he felt.

Castiel melted into the kiss and showed Dean how much he truly meant to him through the kiss he gave to the man. He wanted Dean to know that he would do absolutely anything for him and supported him no matter what. He couldn't love Dean Winchester more even he tried to.

He smiled lightly into the kiss, one hand going up to curl fingers into dark hair. After a few more moments, Dean gently broke the kiss, catching his breath. He pecked Castiel's forehead quickly before saying, "We should head off now." With that, he led Cas to his car and got in on the driver's side, starting her up and driving off. While driving, he stole a look of pride at Castiel. His forest green eyes gleamed with love and happiness. He could try to love him more, but he knew he wouldn't be able to.

Castiel smiled and chuckled a bit as they drove to the stadium. "You gave me a similar look when we were driving up the hill the first time. I asked if you always stole glances at me...I'm kind of happy you decided to propose up here instead of at the stadium with tons of people watching us. That would have been too dramatic. This was very personal to both of us. I would've said yes either way, though."

Dean chuckled at that. "I thought you wouldn't really like it if I did it in front of hundreds of people, haha." He explained. "So I decided something a little more meaningful was in place. And I remembered us choosing our stars for each other on that hill...and yeah. It fit."

Smiling, Dean continued driving. A few minutes later, they were in the stadium parking lot. Turning off the ignition, Dean rubbed his hands together before getting out and waving goodbye to Castiel before going to the locker room straight away. This game was bound to be good.

He waved to Dean before walking and heading off to where his usual seat was in the stadium. Packs of people were already filing in. Must have been because it was a championship game after all. Taking his chair with a bottle of water he had brought in, he exhaled a breath and looked around the large room. This was where fate was decided for two opposing teams. Cas had faith that Dean's team would come out victorious with how well they were doing.

Five minutes later, both opposing teams walked out onto the court. Dean and Aaron were the starters. The ball was tossed up, and Dean got it by a mere inch and cast it back to one of his teammates. He barked out a play, and the players knew what they were doing. The person with the ball got past his defender and shot-only to have the basketball go off the rim. Dean was right at it, catching the rebound high in the air and dunking it into the hoop, scoring and causing cheering to go around the stadium. He hung on the rim for a second before dropping off and beginning to the other side of the court.

Castiel smiled brightly and clapped his hands with the crowd. He was a little more energetic than usual during the game. Maybe it was because everyone else's energy was hyping him up, or perhaps it was because they just got engaged, and he was still joyful over it. Either way, he was happy and cheering for all of Dean's teammates.

The first half went by in a flash. The two teams were currently tied, as they were of the same skill set and had brought their determination to take home the trophy with them. Dean sat down on the bench, breathing heavily. Catching his breath, he looked up at the scoreboard and took a drink of water. His gaze went to Castiel, and he raised an eyebrow at him slightly.

Once the first half was over, and the score was tied, Cas sighed a bit, knowing all they really needed was just one point above them to win against the opposing team. He felt a familiar pair of eyes on him, and he looked towards the benches spotting Dean looking in his direction. Castiel flashed him a smile and made the same thumbs-up motion he did when he had watched him play basketball in the prison yard.

Seeing the smile appear on Castiel's face and the thumbs up, Dean smiled back and nodded slightly. He knew what he was going to do now. The second half began, and the scores went up and down. For a few minutes, the opposing team would be winning, then his side, and this would repeat itself. It was the final fifteen seconds of the fourth quarter, and Dean's team was losing by three. The opposing team had called a time out, and Dean sat in a chair. His left foot tapped rapidly on the floor, and he looked stressed. They weren't going to win this, were they?

Watching this championship game was a bit stressful even though Castiel wasn't playing it. He could only imagine how Dean felt and looked over to see his assumption was right. Stressed out. He knew this win was essential to his fiancee. Besides giving a thumbs up and a smile like he did earlier, there wasn't much he could do to offer encouragement.

Closing his eyes, he remembered shooting the full-court shot at the prison. And then doing the same thing on this very court. His eyes snapped open. That could save them, it could get them the win! Almost jumping from his chair, Dean explained what was to happen to his teammates. They nodded, and the time out was over. Luckily, their team had the ball. The fifteen seconds remaining began to tick down. His team passed the ball down the court and lastly gave it to Dean. The other teammates ran to the other end of the court.

The crowd started to chant, "Ten! Nine! Eight!" and that put pressure on Dean. Shaking it off, he tensed his body and jumped, shooting form going perfect as the ball escaped his hands. Time seemed to slow down, and all Dean could hear was his feet going back to the floor, his own breathing, and the crowd shouting out the remaining seconds on the clock.

Seeing what was about to happen, Castiel couldn't believe that Dean was attempting to make another full-court shot. This would be his third one ever. Two in official basketball games. Cas could've sworn his heart stopped for a minute once he saw the ball fly out of Dean's hands. He stared with unblinking eyes and closed them right before he heard a satisfying swishing sound.

"And he does it again! Unbelievable! Dean Winchester has made his second full-court shot of his career to win the championship!" The announcer spoke. The stadium broke into cheering, and Dean was stunned, disbelief crossing his face. He'd done it again. He'd actually done it for the third time. He raised his hands to the ceiling, and confetti in his team's colors rained down.

Approaching his teammates, he hugged them all, and members of the two teams hugged each other as well. Aaron approached him. "Looks like you did it again, legend." He spoke while smiling.

Dean laughed, and they hugged too. The prior opposing team watched from nearby as Dean was given the trophy. It weighed about 15.5 pounds, considering it was mostly made from silver with a twenty-four karat gold overlay. Two of Dean's teammates helped him lift it up until he could hold it himself. Indeed, some tears were staining Dean's cheeks. It felt like a dream to him.

Castiel was in disbelief that Dean had just succeeded another full-court shot. He would surely be in some type of hall of fame soon after what he's been accomplishing in his rookie basketball career. He was sure all the scouts and managers would fight over him if he ever decided to switch teams. Cas' face turned into a bright grin once he saw how happy Dean was. He truly deserved this moment after everything he's personally gone through. After he was done clapping, Castiel had the urge to run onto the court and envelop Dean into a hug but stopped himself from moving any more forward. He wasn't sure if that an appropriate thing to do in this scenario, so he stood on the edge of the court and continued clapping for Dean.

Of course, Dean had an interview on camera, like all famous sports players did after playing a game. Teams were led to their locker rooms, and people started to file out of the stadium. Before disappearing into his team's locker room, Dean, still carrying the trophy, turned to Castiel and mouthed, 'Go wait for me by the car!' before going inside. He hoped he would understand. Inside the locker room, the team was given much praise by their coach, and Dean was given recognition by both the coach and the team.

Seeing Dean turn and mouth something to him, he understood what he was trying to say to him. He nodded and waved him off as he headed back out of the stadium and walked towards the Impala. Of course, Cas had almost forgotten that Dean could have been interviewed. It was a massive moment in sports, after all. He always wondered if that part got tiring for him when the people were firing off questions that he had to answer on the spot.

Five minutes passed before Dean finally got out of the locker room. The trophy had been set up on a stand in the locker room. He walked to the Impala, practically glowing with pride. The fresh night air made the sweat on his body feel colder, even though it had already dried. He saw Castiel waiting for him, surprisingly right outside the driver's side door. Dean smiled softly as he approached him.

Once he heard Dean's footsteps, Castiel looked up and smiled as he saw Dean standing in front of him. "I know it was worse for you, but I was about to have a heart attack with all of the tension in there. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time. I'm so proud of you, though. You really, truly deserve that win for the championship." He smiled brightly.

A smile spread across his face. A hand reached out to cup one side of Castiel's face as Dean looked at him. "You know I couldn't have done it without you, right? The full-court shots, winning the championship?" He asked, his smile growing a little. In truth, yes, he couldn't have done it without his partner at his side every step of the way. He'd just be known as another newbie without Castiel. In fact, he'd still be back there, at the prison, without Castiel. Honestly, he was Dean's whole world.

The former officer leaned into Dean's hand as he always did. "Haha, I think you're giving me a little too much credit. But thank you, Dean. You know I'll always encourage you. You already had the experienced skills, I think you just needed someone who believed in you." He smiled and used his sleeve to wipe off some sweat off of Dean's forehead.

He gave a chuckle. "I suppose you're right. Now, we should get home so I can take a shower and then properly hug you." Dean joked lightly, leading Castiel to the passenger's side door and opening it for him. When he was inside, Dean closed the door and got in on his own side, starting the ignition. He began to drive away from the stadium once both he and Castiel had gotten their seatbelts buckled.

The blue-eyed man sighed as he relaxed in the passenger side once they drove off. He noticed the small gemstones on his engagement ring were flickering every once in a while when the moonlight when hit them just right. Cas smiled and thoroughly admired the ring that Dean had chosen. He enjoyed every little part of it. Castiel never planned on taking it off even if he would pass away when they were older.

Keeping his gaze mostly on the road, green eyes snuck a glance at Castiel every now and then. Deciding he could drive with one hand, Dean rested a hand over Castiel's, a wordless gesture. The touch simply brought a smile to the basketball player's face. He wouldn't have it any other way, wouldn't want another person at his side as his fiancée except for Castiel Novak. Dean wouldn't be alive if it weren't for him.

Soft blush showed up on Cas' cheeks as Dean touched their hands together. He gently intertwined their fingers together as Dean was driving them back home. Today had been an excellent day for both of them in many ways. They had a nice dinner, went back to a great location, got engaged, and then Dean won the championship for his team. Cas smiled and looked at their hands. "Love you, Dean."

That dumbass smile Dean always had when he and Castiel were close showed up again, gracing his features. He couldn't stop the light dusting of blush from showing up on his cheeks. As he drove along, he thought about all they had been through.

Just these last few months, they'd gone to the wedding of Sam and Tom. There, they'd been apologized to by Luke, and Dean, at least, had forgiven him. Everything seemed to be alright in their lives, and he wanted to keep it that way for as long as possible. Of course, there would be disagreements and some arguments and loss, but that was normal. The point they couldn't forget was that they loved each other. It would be that way for the rest of their lives.

"I love you too, Cas."


End file.
